The matter concerning the boats that were damaged by the passage of a cargo vessel in the Demerara River on July 11th has been amicably resolved according to Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill.
The minister told the Sunday Stabroek in relation to the question of compensation for the fishermen that to his knowledge the fishermen had secured the services of a lawyer and had filed actions in court including one intended to prevent the vessel from leaving the port until the matter was resolved.
However, the Maritime Administration (MARAD) had informed him in an update that the matter has been amicably settled between the fishermen whose boats were damaged and the owner of the cargo vessel.
On July 11, a cargo vessel while manoeuvring in the port with a tugboat caused a wake large enough to damage nineteen boats that were moored at the Meadow Bank wharf. Nine of them were reported to be significantly damaged with one captain/owner estimating to have suffered some $12 million in losses including a badly damaged stern, keel, and rudder.
Edghill had visited the wharf to get a first-hand look at the damaged vessels and to speak to the fishermen. He later confirmed on his Facebook page that 19 fishing boats were damaged as a result of the incident and that compensation for the fishers was being explored.
