Amazon Caribbean Guyana Limited (AMCAR) is calling on the Ministry of Public Security and the police to secure the Berbice River after one of their boats suffered a second attack by bandits for this year and the company says if this is not done, it will be forced to close its factory.
According to one of AMCAR’s manager, Steven Rutherford, the robbery occurred on Tuesday just around 2 am in an area called ‘Dageraad’, about 30 miles from Rosignol.
In a letter to Stabroek News from the company, it was stated that this incident was the second time the boat, which collects cabbages to take to the company’s factory, was robbed for the year. The first robbery occurred in April. “AMCAR is asking an immediate action by the minister and the police to secure the river. If not, the company will be forced to close the factory as the boats will not be able to ply the river anymore…” the letter said.
Rutherford told Stabroek News that four persons were on board the boat at the time of the incident. He related that he was told that a speedboat had pulled up to the side of their boat, which at the time contained items for bartering along with produce that would have been collected to take to the company’s factory in Berbice. The bandits fired a gunshot to the roof of the cabin after pulling up alongside AMCAR’s boat.
The manager said that he was told by the crew that the three bandits then placed guns to their heads and demanded cash and all other valuables that were on the boat. Rutherford said that while two of the crewmembers were able to hide themselves, the captain and a sailor who was steering the ship, faced the brunt of the attack, with the captain sustaining multiple injuries. According to Rutherford, the three bandits transferred the goods that were on AMCAR’s boat to be used in the bartering process, to their boat, tampered with the engine of AMCAR’s boat and left the men there.
The AMCAR crewmembers were subsequently rescued by another vessel which was on its way to New Amsterdam. The captain of the boat, Elford Denharte, who sustained multiple injuries, was taken to the Fort Wellington Hospital and later transferred to the New Amsterdam Hospital, where he is currently nursing injuries and is reportedly suffering internal haemorrhaging.
According to information received, AMCAR has made a formal complaint to the Ministry of Public Security. Stabroek News was also informed that the Chief Executive Officer of the company, Jean Francois Gerin, is hoping to have a meeting with Minister Khemraj Ramjattan today.
Rutherford said that after discussions with the police and coastguard, they were given contact information so they would be able to advise the authorities whenever their boats would be on the river.
