The Government of Guyana yesterday inform-ed Nautilus Register “ClassNR”, a subsidiary of Aryavart Corporation, that it is to cease all representation of Guyana and its Maritime Administration (MARAD) citing termination of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) due to breach of contractual negotiations.
“You are relieved and removed from all roles and responsibilities under the said MoU,” Attorney General Anil Nandlall wrote yesterday in a letter addressed to Prof. (Capt) Suniel Kumar, Chief Executive Officer, of Nautilus Register “ClassNR”, a subsidiary of Aryavart Cor-poration, an international technical and administrative representative of the Guyana Ships Registry, under the name Inter-national Maritime Safety Agency for Guyana (IMSAG).
Nandlall’s letter was sent weeks after the detention by the Senegalese customs of the motor vessel Eolika purportedly bearing Guyana registration which had a quantity of illegal arms and ammunition on board.
The MoU had granted the company permission to function on government’s behalf to offer licences to vessels registered under the Guyana flag. The company is now required to relinquish to MARAD all relevant details and supporting documentation of all transactions undertaken on behalf of the Guyana flag and the Government of Guyana.
Nandlall reminded the CEO, who had acknowledged a Notification of Termination dated 13 August, 2021, which succeeded the Notification of Breach of Contractual Obligations dated 29 June, 2021, that it “effectively terminated all agreements/ arrangements with Aryavart Corporation and its subsidiaries” pursuant to their agreement, including the MoU, dated 3 March, 2021.
The Legal Affairs Minister stated that as a result of statements issued by Minister of Public Works Juan Edghill, which indicated that the representations were illicit and fraudulent, the government of Guyana has dissociated itself from IMSAG, its principals, subsidiaries and their affiliates.
“This Statement sought, inter alia, to alert all stakeholders, national, regional and international, that IMSAG has ceased to be a representative of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana and the Guyana flag”
The Attorney General further informed that “this matter was reported to the Guyana Police Force with a request to inform and engage international law enforcement agencies on this issue.”
In January, following the reports of the vessel being held up by Senega-lese authorities, MARAD had informed that the vessel’s registration had expired on December 10, 2021 and was not a part of the Guyana Ships Registry.
“The vessel in question is not contained in the local ships’ registry and it is believed that registration documents were issued by the [IMSAG], an entity with which the administration had severed all ties since 13th August, 2021”, MARAD said.
According to the release, MARAD subsequently notified all regional, and international bodies and organisations of the effective termination of all arrangements with IMSAG, and advised them to verify the veracity of the registration certificates issued to vessels by IMSAG. As a result, several vessels have been detained at various ports for false registration documents.
MARAD assured that it will continue to actively monitor the case and would spare no effort in protecting the image of the Guyana flag.
