Stakeholders mull ways to make waterways safer

– probe launched into Mazaruni tragedy

By Pushpa Balgobin

MARAD will be conducting checks to ensure that all vessels have correct paperwork and all captains are licensed in accordance with maritime standards.

Maritime Administration Department (MARAD) representatives headed to Region Seven on Tuesday to conduct preliminary investigations into the cause of last week’s boat collision, which resulted in the death of 10 persons.
Region Seven Chairman Gordon Bradford told Guyana Times International that he was eager to sit with MARAD representatives and collectively look over the various recommendations that would lead to more effective safety measures being put in place for passenger boat travel.
Bradford noted that while the talks were preliminary, he was hopeful that many of the contributions from seafaring persons would be taken into account. He said prior to Tuesday’s meeting, he met with Transport Minister Robeson Benn and a number of issues were raised, noting that “enforcement of regulations has to become more important and active”.
He also noted that one of the biggest recommendations was “possibly looking at making inward and outward channels, just like roads that would significantly reduce the number of collision or the potential for collision,” Bradford stated.
He told this publication that yet another idea that was brought forth was the possibility of “having signs and warning, but you know that these areas are rough waterways so figuring out how that would be done is an entire issue, assessing tides and the strength of the current would all need to be assessed”.

Marshall Falls
“Look at Marshall Falls, when leaving Bartica it is the third falls. When the water levels are low, you can swim, but when the water levels are higher, the river would eat you up,” Bradford noted. He said having regional input and gaining advice from seasoned captains was critical.
“They know the waters and the rivers, captains that use the rivers for everyday routine have to be included in these talks because they are the men that have expertise.”
The chairman told Guyana Times International that senior captains and crew members would have to also change some of their old habits.
“We need to work in collaboration to ensure that manifests are created at the points of departure, because if something like this was to happen again, we need to all act quickly”. He said boats are known to pick up passengers on their way out of the interior, and as a result, there would be multiple coordination tactics. Bradford said MARAD, local police and regional authorities would need to be in continuous communication.
Bradford turned his attention to the use of life jackets, reinforcing what Minister Benn had stated in previous interviews, that jackets need to be worn and individuals may need to take safety into their own hands, while MARAD and police do a revamping of code and legal expectations of passenger boats.
“Right now you get your licence and you can man any boat, there is no restriction on horsepower, which isn’t the case when you look at vehicles… you get a driver’s licence, but you need another license to drive a bus, the same thing needs to apply for boats” Bradford told this publication.

Working within means
MARAD Director Claudette Rogers stated that within her own department, there is always more need for officers and assistance. However, she stated that the department is working within its means and that with cooperation from the Coast Guard, and the other various local authorities, it was her hope that maritime policies would receive the attention that is required to ensure safety is maintained and lives saved.
“MARAD is concerned with compliance of policy, when people are found to be unlicenced, then prosecution is the next step,” Rogers stated. She continued that previously there may have been a lax in the system, but that the Mazaruni tragedy was not something to be repeated.
“We are outlining a comprehensive list of amendments to regulations and we are concerned with going into the outlying areas to find people who know the areas in which they live,” she noted, pointing out that this would give MARAD and the authorities a better idea of how to execute training on maritime safety.
She noted that the physical cause of the accident was just as important to MARAD as the prosecution of the captains, if they were found to be unlicensed or their negligence led to the death of the 10 people.