At least 32 Crabwood Creek loggers, who are stuck at various points up the Corentyne River are running out of supplies since neither they nor their employers are able to traverse the river, after the Suriname authorities closed access due to that country’s COVID-19 curfew.
Vishal Singh, who operates a sawmill in Crabwood Creek, yesterday told Stabroek News, that he presently has 15 workers stuck far up the Corentyne River. He said, the men last received supplies in February, since the supply boat which was heading up in March was confiscated by Surinamese soldiers.
According to Singh, on March, 22, four of his workers were heading up with food, fuel and spare parts, when they were arrested by the Surinamese soldiers, who are policing the river. He said the men were held overnight and told to contact their employer, “They had said that if I took documents for the boat and engine they would release the men to me but then they changed that and used my boat and dropped my men off at Orealla without any supplies and they took back my boat.”
Presently Singh’s boat is still being held by the Surinamese military. “My workers beg them to leave them with some supplies from the boat in Orealla because they didn’t have anything but they didn’t,” he lamented.
However, he said, that a senior police officer was heading into Orealla and he pleaded with him to bring out his four workers who were left without any supplies.
Singh said he has since reported that matter to the Springlands Police Station.
Meanwhile, he is now concerned about his fifteen workers who are on their last supplies.
Imran Shaffeeullah, 49, who also operates a sawmill at Crab-wood Creek, disclosed that he has eight workers stuck over 100 miles up the Corentyne River. He said they are desperately in need of supplies.
He said that the workers are presently a far distance away from the Suriname villages in the river and stressed that, “We don’t need to stop there unless there is an emergency.”
Another Crabwood Creek sawmill owner, George Baijnauth, 74, said he has eight workers stuck about 100 miles up the Corentyne River. He said that his workers have been there for at least four months now but that they would “go and come” for supplies. However, since the closure of the river they are unable to return for supplies.
Ramdial Bhukal, 67, who was contracted by Gumani Sawmill noted, that he has one worker about 100 miles up the Berbice River not far from Baijnauth.
Bhukal said, he ventured down in March to gather supplies and return but the river was closed off while he was in Corriverton.
Meanwhile, the sawmill owners all proclaimed that there is no other way to access their workers or to bring logs from the area. Presently work for them is at a standstill.
In addition, the sawmill owners noted, that the representation that was made with the Suriname authorities does not seem to cover their workers and as such are calling on Guyana’s authorities to step in on their workers behalf.
Doodnauth Narine, who operates in Orealla said his entire workforce has been affected.
He explained, that log boats are unable to travel to collect logs thus affecting their businesses which will directly affect the industry. He said, the employers and workers are in a “predicament”.
Furthermore, the man noted, that while they understand that certain precautions have to be taken in light of COVID-19, they are seeking to be allowed to work along their banks and will not come in contact with the Surinamese.
Meanwhile, he said they were told that Orealla was given permission for two boats to travel with a few persons to gather supplies from Corriverton.
Guyana and Suriname held a virtual meeting on Monday to sort out problems of the type affecting the loggers.
