Essequibo businessman, John Walcott, whose truck laden with fertiliser, plunged into the Essequibo River in the vicinity of the Transport and Harbours Department wharf at Adventure, also on the Essequibo Coast, says he is somewhat relieved following a discussion he had with Minister of Transport and Hydraulics Robeson Benn yesterday.
Contacted for an update on the incident , the young businessman related that he had initially contemplated seeking an audience with the T&HD management, but instead paid a visit to Minister Benn’s office. Walcott said while nothing concrete came out of the discussions, he is nevertheless grateful that the Minister, who was preparing to attend Parliament, accommodated him.
The discussions, he added, were cordial with the minister informing him that an investigation would have to be conducted into the incident.
Walcott said he would be anxiously awaiting further word on the outcome of the investigation which would determine his way forward.
A truck belonging to the young businessman and laden with a consignment of 15 tonnes ( 300 bags) of fertiliser plunged overboard Tuesday morning.
The fertilizer, valued at $2.1M was consigned to Rakesh General Store of Cotton Field, also on the Essequibo Coast.
Following the off-loading of the fertiliser, the truck was to have transported a consignment of rice from Caricom Rice Mills, Anna Regina, to the city, via a T&HD vessel.
Walcott on Thursday told the Guyana Chronicle that following Tuesday’s incident, he had to expend approximately $400, 000 to retrieve the truck from the river bed, and to hire another vehicle to transport the rice to the city, so as to maintain the contract he has with Caricom Rice Mills.
He said that the truck, which was valued at $4.9M, has since been `written off’, as in addition to it being submerged in salt water for several hours, some major components are damaged beyond repair.
The vehicle, which at the time of the incident was being driven by Christopher Browne, has a comprehensive insurance coverage, but Walcott said he was unsure to what extent the coverage will be.
Brown luckily escaped a watery grave.
Embarking and disembarking for both passengers and vehicles at any of the T&HD stellings on the Essequibo  River is by way of wooden planks which are manually placed to bridge the gap between the vessel and the wharf .
Management of T&HD has had to revert to using the Adventure Stelling, from where they had shifted operations to a new stelling at Good Hope, after the facility suffered a major structural failure four days after it was put into use.
President Jagdeo has mandated Prime Minister Sam Hinds to undertake a formal review of the new Good Hope Stelling , to include recommendations for remedial modifications.
Essequibians, in particular businessmen,  were elated when the new facility was put into operation as some four hours of sailing time has been reduced, as against the operations commencing at Adventure. That joy was however short-lived and they are now anxiously awaiting repair works to be done so that the new facility could be up and running again.
PM Hinds on Thursday told the Guyana Chronicle that he is in receipt of the review which was conducted by engineers appointed by him,  but that the findings would first have to be discussed at the level of Cabinet before any disclosure is made.