Some may say that there is something sinister happening in Guyana’s waters and that it may seem as if water spirits are calling for human sacrifices. Some may say the loss of life may be retribution for the pollution – the shadowy practices involving gold, oil, and the garbage that rests on the riverbeds and float on the surface. Upstream or downstream, rapids create spaces of danger, while troubled waters puke the evidence of our carelessness, rebelling against our detrimental practices as the innocent souls of our people departed from their bodies gather. But while we can believe in superstitions, we must highlight the issues we know have resulted in too many deaths in our waters within the last months. While we understand that accidents do occur, the frequency of mishaps in Guyana’s waters is troubling.
In January a young man, 23-year-old Chive Persaud was traveling on the Pomeroon River when he was injured by the boat’s propellor. He died.
In February Lakeram Kuber’s body was recovered two days after he disappeared. The boat he was traveling in capsized in the Essequibo River. In February, also, three fishermen went missing when their boat capsized in the Atlantic Ocean some 18 miles off Mahaicony Coast. Those fishermen were Winston Sam, Harold Damon, and Ronald Burton.
In March, 17 people were rescued after the boat they were traveling in collided with a fishing vessel and sank. Fortunately, no lives were lost. Also in March, a Berbice fisherman, Suraj Dhaneswar disappeared when the boat he was in capsized. In April a decomposed body, suspected to be that of the fisherman, was found. Also in April, Essequibo fisherman Terrance Gomes went missing after a boat collision in Suriname waters.
In May, boat captain Fabian Sam disappeared when his boat collided with another in the Mazaruni River. In June there was another boat collision in the Pomeroon River. Sherwayne Welcome and Devor Naughton lost their lives.
In July Mikhail Rodrigues, known as Guyanese Critic, and another man were injured in a skiing accident in Bartica. In September, popular Disc Jockey Dorrel Romeo known as DJ Magnum was in a boat accident in the Essequibo River. Randy Adams and Alvin Leitch died because of that accident. The boat captain was not certified or permitted to operate along the Bartica to Parika route.
In October, athletes who were returning to Moruca, in Region One, after participating in the Amerindian Heritage games were rescued when the boat, they were traveling in sank. It was also in October when a Guyanese tourist disappeared at Orinduik Falls after swimming in the Ireng River. The body of Gladstone Haynes who was a New York Police Department officer, was later found.
Earlier this month, Trevor Patrick lost his life after the boat he was travelling in capsized. He was a cameraman and was part of a crew during President Irfaan Ali’s visit to flood hit communities along the Pomeroon River. Also, this month, a Guyana Geology of Mines boat sank in the Mazaruni River. Two surveyors, Jermaine La Rose and Terrence Thomas lost their lives.
This week, a US tourist went missing during a fishing expedition in the Rupununi River. Thomas Carsten’s body was recovered two days later.
While there are thousands of Guyanese and others who safely travel on Guyana’s waters throughout the year, the frequency of these accidents is cause for us to examine our safety practices. How often are uncertified captains involved in these accidents? Do our fishermen have foresight of when the wind and waves can topple their vessels? What about how we are constructing our boats? What about inspections before we set out on our journeys? How are there so many collisions in rivers so wide? Should boats cease operating after dark when torchlights, shouts and engines may not be enough to avoid a collision? I thought speedboats were not supposed to be on the river after dark. Should every citizen take the responsibility to wear a life jacket even when their boat captains might not be wearing one or insist that they do?
Earlier this year, while on a four-hour boat ride in Region One from Mabaruma to Moruca, I noticed along the way there were several boats where many passengers were not wearing life jackets. In rivers that go deep as much as 60 to 90 feet, why would some people be without life jackets? Even the best swimmers or fishermen can drown and with the number of lives lost this year, the waters have shown us, that expert or not, we perhaps are no match for the currents.
The four-hour journey from Mabaruma to Moruca I had feared for weeks before making the trip. However, it turned out to be one of the most beautiful experiences of my life. When one gets to the ‘99 Turns’ in the Moruca River especially, the trees over the river, the fresh air and the rich black water are nothing but magical. But even in a journey so beautiful, there were dangers. Our boat hit a tree that had fallen. Luckily the captain managed to navigate through that, and we made our way safely to our destination. And when we were ready to leave Moruca by boat again, traveling to Charity, the same culture of many people not wearing life jackets was evident. This journey which involved going out into the Atlantic Ocean was terrifying and thrilling. One thing that also stood out was the garbage in the rivers. Thousands of coconut shells floated in the Pomeroon River because the people have made the river their dumping place. The loss of life in our waters has shown us that it is time to reevaluate how we use and treat our waters. A journey across any of Guyana’s rivers should not be filled with fear, but people should be confident about arriving at their destinations safely. We have dumped enough of our waste into the rivers but perhaps many believe that rivers that run so deep are an infinite space for dumping.
As passengers, we must take responsibility for making sure we are wearing life jackets before embarking on any journey across Guyana’s waters. Whether we can swim or not, we are no match for the vastness and unpredictability of the rivers.
Most of the people who lost their lives this year or are missing are Guyanese but an American also lost his life this week and a Guyanese who was an American citizen lost his life last month. Rivers, ocean, or waterfalls, we must appreciate the wonders nature has given us. All the people I mentioned that were lost in the waters this year were men. Perhaps because men take more risks than women. Perhaps because it is mostly men who work on the waters. Nevertheless, that is something to think on.
