Government has instructed that the sunken river dredge belonging to Crown Mining Supplies, which has been blocking the Mazaruni channel for the past four months, be removed immediately, even if it means destroying it.
This is according to Minister of Infrastructure David Patterson, who told Stabroek News that the Maritime Administration Department (MARAD) has been instructed to remove the dredge by whatever means necessary in order to have the waterway cleared.
He said work to remove it was underway yesterday. Up to late yesterday afternoon, it was unclear what progress had been made.
Stabroek News has since learnt that the company was informed on Friday that the Ministry of Public Infrastructure was very concerned about the length of time that has passed since the dredge sank and the company’s failure to have it removed.
Based on what was told to this newspaper, in accordance with the Shipping Act of 1998, the company was informed that Louise Williams, the Director of Ports and Harbours, had been appointed to act as receiver of the wreck and to ensure its removal.
It is expected that there would be no objection to Williams taking possession of the wreck or to anyone acting under her authority to board, raise, remove or destroy it.
Based on what is outlined in the Act, once Williams is accepted as the receiver by the company, there will be no salvaging, destruction or related operations on the sunken dredge without her approval. She is also entitled to recover salvaging fees from the company and money for other expenses related to the removal exercise.
The vessel sank in the vicinity of the Piremap Falls in June but only became a hindrance to users of the Mazaruni River after it shifted into the channel when the company tried to remove it. Several attempts to remove it since then have been unsuccessful.
The obstruction resulted in mining camps and residents of some interior communities running low on food, fuel and other necessities. Mining areas have since been hit by price increases as a result of the situation.
A few weeks ago it was announced that MARAD and Crown Mining Supplies would be intensifying efforts to remove the dredge. The company had met with MARAD to discuss possible solutions. MARAD had stated that over the past few months the company has been trying assiduously to reclaim the dredge from its current position.
However, because of the high tide and the location, it said it was difficult to access and the salvage operation would require special equipment.
Ralph Persaud, who has been working in the area for more than 30 years, said that the easiest way to deal with the obstruction was if MARAD and the company resorted to blowing up the sunken vessel and removing it in smaller pieces. However, Harbour Master Michael Tennant had opined that the situation had not reached that stage. “I don’t think we will reach the state where we will have to blow it up. We are confident that it will be refloated as everybody is making the effort,” he said.
When Stabroek News spoke with Tennant a few days ago he had said that the company was currently “engaging the attention of a certified salvager” and has been at the site assessing the situation. “They have looked at the area and have also discussed a way forward,” Tennant had explained.
He said the next step was for the river to be at a safe level for the salvager to take his equipment into the area to move the dredge. “What they are going to do, is probably try to get it back afloat so that they can safely manoeuvre it out of the area,” he explained.
Stabroek News has unable to get a comment from the management of Crown Mining Supplies despite repeated efforts to do so.
