Some fishermen who operate at the Goed Fortuin Koker on the West Bank Demerara are accusing officers of the Maritime Administrative Department (MARAD) of harassment.
The fishermen said the MARAD officers demand money and threatened to turn up the heat on them if they complained to the relevant authorities.
Contacted yesterday Director General of MARAD Claudette Rogers said she was unaware of any official harassing fishermen and that an investigation will be launched immediately.
One fisherman, Deoram, claimed that the officers would stop them on the waters and they would be asked to provide Captain’s licences.
When asked by this Publication if it wasn’t compulsory to have a Captain’s licences while operating on the water, he replied, “In 2011, former president Bharrat Jagdeo visited us and told us that we didn’t need Captain’s licences to fish as along as our boats are registered and all documentations are up to date, which means that this licence thing has been dissolved.”
Deoram is claiming that newly recruited officers of MARAD are the ones that would normally follow them ashore and demand money.
He also pointed out that other fishermen are scared to go out to fish since the officials would demand more than what they earn.
“I’m a fisherman here for 35 years and counting and I never come across something like this,” he said. “You can’t go out and work, they deh behind you… I tell them I will make a report to higher officials and they told me that if I do that, I will see what will happen.”
Rogers told Stabroek News that she was unaware of any dissolved requirements. However, she recalled that certain discretions were made with regard to the cost of the licences. She further stated that it was a requirement for Captains to have licences since safety is MARAD’s mandate.
Another fisherman, Victor Mangru said that he has been a fisherman at the Koker for some 35 years said that on one occasion he was heading back to the Koker when he was approached by MARAD officials, who demanded to see his Captain’s licence.
“I tell dem I driving this river so long and I never get stop, oww man, if you [MARAD] want bring back de rule, at least tell people, plus them collect the money and they don’t give you receipt,” he said.
Ranjit Peraud said, “When dem follow you in the koker and you don’t have money, they want see your boss man and boss man have to give them money… They don’t write a ticket or anything, they just take the money and gone.”
Leon Baldeo said, “When they corner yuh, them does ask for a lot of money, the rest a boys [fisherman] does frighten to go out and wuk because a wah? If you pay them what they want, you can’t ker home money, one set a …money them want.”
Forty boats with approximately 325 fishermen operate from the Goed Fortuin Koker.
