Coordinated Guyana-Suriname search effort
Minister of Agriculture Robert Persaud yesterday met with the families of the five missing Berbice fishermen at the Number 66 Village Berbice home of one of the missing men, and assured the families of a coordinated effort between the Guyanese and Surinamese authorities in search of the missing men. “We must be reminded that this took place in the jurisdiction of Suriname, so we are heavily dependent and reliant on the Surinamese authority and enforcement entities taking enforcement actions,” Minister Persaud told the families.
“Already communication has been made with Suriname and they have started searching by air, land and sea,” Minister Persaud said.
And even though most of the effort is concentrated on where the boat was found (in Suriname) the local Coast Guard has been patrolling the Guyanese waters, he told the relatives.
“This incident reminds us of the peril and the dangers that our fisher folks face,” Minister Persaud said.
On August 6, fishermen Kemraj Dhanpat, Narine Dhanpat, Clifford Singh, Ouditnarine Ramnarine and Suresh Martin left home for a 10-day fishing trip at sea. Suspicion was raised after the men failed to return after the 10 days, and enquiries led the boat owner to Caroni, Suriname, where he found a stripped boat but no trace of the five men.
“The government would have just recently toughened the anti piracy law, and have been looking at stepping up patrols and mechanisms of assisting victims of piracy in Guyana,” Persaud said.
Taking the steps towards enforcement in the fishing areas can be a complicated task at times, Minister Persaud said. Using the current incident as an example, he said the length of time before there was an indication and notification that something was wrong, tells how difficult it is to track and manage and respond to dangers on sea.
“Perhaps if there was earlier notification and some form of communication, it would have been much easier to track and to monitor the situation,” he said.
“One can understand the hurt of the families and the sense of loss, and also the anxiety, but I want to assure you that all the steps are being taken,” Minister Persaud said.
Minister Persaud yesterday spoke with Minister of Foreign Affairs Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett. Minister Rodrigues is in Argentina and will be meeting with her Surinamese counterpart to look at additional steps that the Surinamese authority can take in the search for the missing men.
The relatives of the fishermen, as well as other fishermen and friends have been patrolling Suriname’s water. They have been concentrating their efforts on areas they believe persons could hide as well as those areas they believe the fishermen could have been dropped off by pirates.
They sought Minister Persaud’s assistance in providing them with armed Coast Guard support so as to venture even deeper into these areas.
Minister Persaud promised to provide the names of those willing to help with the search to the Surinamese authority, and to make arrangements for the men to go with the Suriname Coast Guard.
The families also stated their willingness to pay for any lead that will assist in finding the missing men and any ransom required.
The minister yesterday identified a representative from the Fisheries Department in the region to regularly update the families on the search.
The ministry is also working very closely with the Number 66 Fishing Co-op Society to look at ways in which, during this period, they can provide some economic support to the families of the missing men. (GINA)