Human Services Ministry to assist families of missing seamen
–Minister Benn promises to investigate issue
HAVING received official notification that the search for their loved ones has been called off, the families of the three seamen who went missing with the MV Oliver L since last December have commended the work of the local and regional authorities who had conducted the search. The wives of the sailors – Sherry Hartman, Kamaldai Shuckoo and Jewel Lewis — told this newspaper that even though the news regarding their loved ones has not been positive, they are still keeping the faith and hoping for a miracle.
In a recent interview with this publication, Sherry Hartman said the wives are pleased with the assurance given by Transport and Hydraulics Minister, Robeson Benn during a meeting with families of the missing men.
“He told us that even though the search was called off, they will still be doing some amount of investigation, to see what else they can tell us.”
Meanwhile, Hartman said that as it relates to assistance, the Human Services Ministry has indicated that this is a must for the families.
“We are going there next week Wednesday to meet with the (Minister Webster) to see what assistance we can get, since our husbands were the breadwinners of the home. We are faced with a challenge since we are out of jobs.”
The wives of the missing men have indicated  that they are currently receiving assistance from family members to address their needs.
The three Guyanese seamen departed these shores on the MV Oliver L on December 11th 2011, and were expected to return home on Christmas Eve Day, after spending a few days in Trinidad and Tobago; but, to date, they have not arrived home.
After weeks of extensive and vigorous searching for them, which began since last December, it has been concluded that they have proverbially disappeared into thin air, prompting local and regional authorities to end the search.
Local authorities have indicated that all possible avenues and courses of action have been exhausted without positive feedback on the fate of the men. No aircraft has reported sighting any vessel or any wreckage at sea; neither has any marine vessel traversing the waterways reported sighting any wreckage. Despite the decision to top the search, the case is still open, and anyone with information that may assist in solving the mystery should come forward.
The disappearance of the “MV Oliver L”, reportedly registered in the name of Raymond Lord, has evoked memories of the traceless disappearances of two vessels owned by Mr. Dennis Rambarran — the “Gran Rio R” and the “Fiona R”, along with their entire crews.
“Gran Rio R”, a 228-foot cargo vessel with a nine-man crew, was registered in St Vincent and the Grenadines. At the time of its disappearance, on April 11, 2000, the vessel was en route to the Coco Reef Resort at Crown Point in Tobago, to deliver a consignment of 1,500 tonnes of silica sand.
The “Fiona R”, with six crew members, including Mr. Chandrama ‘Randolph’ Rambarran, one of Dennis Rambarran’s brothers, disappeared on September 23, 2002. Ironically, this vessel was also transporting silica sand — to St Vincent and the Grenadines — when it vanished without a trace.