Guyanese fishermen call for protection against piracy

By Andrew Carmichael

Fishermen on the Corentyne Coast are calling on the authorities to provide more protection against the snares of armed pirates who recently attacked a vessel and reportedly killed all five crew members – the bodies of two of them were found on Monday.

The crew of five were reported missing last week. They left on July 11 aboard the fishing boat Miss Seema and were expected to spend 12 days at sea before returning. Their vessel was found on the Whim Foreshore, Corentyne on July 25.

Police said, in a release, that the decomposed body of Omesh Derhup, 36, of Skeldon, Corentyne, was found on the foreshore at Kildonan, Corentyne, Berbice. Then later, the decomposed body of Naresh Persaud, 22, of Number 72 Village, Corentyne, was found on the foreshore at Alness, Corentyne.

Multiple injuries

Post-mortem examinations were performed on the bodies by Pathologist Dr Vivekanand Brijmohan who gave the cause of Persaud’s death as multiple injuries. The investigations are ongoing.

The body of Derhup was discovered on Sunday evening by fisherman Vishal Mangal. He told this publication that he became scared upon making the discovery. “Where me bin going in last night, me see the person an me run out back an me go to the Station and make a report.”

Mangal noted that on Monday he took persons to the location of the body, which was in an advanced state of decomposition. “He had mark on he skin and he one side foot come out.” The detached limb was found some distance away. The other missing crew members are the boat captain, called “Rajin”; Ramesh Persaud also called “Papo”; and “Prakash”.

Speaking with Guyana Times International, Derhup’s mother, Kamila Simon, said she had not seen her son for the past six months. On Monday, she received information that a body had washed up on the shore.

According to Simon, her son was never married and had no children. She said he had no enemies. “All body knew me pickney easy, he na tell nobody nothing.” Derhup leaves to morn his mother, four brothers, and six sisters.

The owner of Miss Seema, Beeram Persaud, explained that after the men did not return to shore as expected, he became worried and on Thursday, started a search for them. According to Beeram Persaud of Number 60 Village, Corentyne, he received assistance from Suriname authorities in the search, but no such assistance was forthcoming from Guyana. The senior fisherman was also unhappy that regional officials have in no way expressed concern.

The search commenced after Miss Seema was discovered without her crew. The boat’s registration and the missing men’s clothing, hats and haversacks were discovered inside the vessel. The engine was intact but no fish, seine or anchor was found. Beeram Persaud believes that the crew were victims of piracy. “Is five of me men loss and two is my nephews; the two just like my sons.”

He said Government needs to do more for fisherfolk. The boat owner, who was shot at his home in 2000 during a robbery attack on his family, said stiffer penalties are needed to deter acts of piracy. “We need it to be like in Suriname… If they catch you is 25 or 35 years you getting, but in Guyana they find a man with the boat engine in he house and they put he on Gy$500,000 bail.”

According to Persaud, both Government and law enforcement agencies have to share the blame. “When you catch a pirate and the Police put them in the lock-ups, somebody calling the big ones in the Police and the Police at the station got to put them on bail and is done the story done there. These are things that the Agriculture Minister supposed to look into; not jus sugar an rice,” Persaud claimed.