…Captain Gouveia recommends
DESPITE intensified efforts over the years to mobilize effective search and rescue operations in Guyana, stakeholders need to understand the urgency of such cases and the importance of early response. Captain Gerry Gouveia made this observation yesterday during an interview with the Guyana Chronicle, when he underscored the importance of the implementation of a National Search and Rescue Unit, particularly as it relates to saving lives.
Captain Gouveia, who has been involved in many rescues by aircraft, explained, “I will be the first to say there has been some effort on behalf of the government to focus on search and rescue; this is important; there has actually been some effort to organize and to be better prepared. It is unfortunate that every time we have an event that is presented to us as a nation, in the first few hours, we are always faced with the same problem, the sense of urgency by the officials.”
He continued, “It speaks very strongly to the issue of having a national search and rescue body that could be trained and that could do exercises periodically to respond to all forms of searches and rescue. We must have a search and rescue capability that is institutionalized, with ability to co-opt planes and boats and so on; must not wait for emergencies, but have regular simulations to deal with cases.”
According to Captain Gouveia, though in emergency situations there is little room for criticism, there remains the need to ensure that the relevant systems are in place throughout the entire search and rescue process; this also includes the adequate training of first responders and the coordination of timely response systems.
“This last event demonstrated to us that people would live, and the urgency by officials to respond cannot be over emphasized. We must not assume that we have all the time and people will die, we must assume that people are clinging on to life. This is a story of life and death and about officials understanding that every second counts, and that we must feel the sense of urgency and transmit that. There are families who are going to be affected and their emotional state needs to be taken into consideration by the officials who are going to be dealing with them,” he stated.
To ensure that this is done, a Search and Rescue Unit should be set up in the Civil Defence Commission, where search and rescue operations can be mobilized, the Captain suggested.
“My own suggestion is that maybe we need, under the Civil Defence Commission that already has a national response system to deal with floods and natural disasters, to set up a search and rescue unit that deals with aviation search and rescue, maritime search and rescue and land search and rescue,” Gouveia added.
Recounting his own experiences of having to wait in the jungle over 15 hours for a search and rescue team some years ago, and having to deal with the lack of resources even then, he re-emphasised the urgency for a Search and Rescue Unit.
He said: “What concerns me as a pilot is that I have actually been a subject myself of waiting 15 hours for rescue in the jungle, and my own helicopter had to come and rescue me, because we had no serviceable helicopter in Guyana. The country’s national search and rescue system did not have the capability. It continues to be a source of tremendous concern to the aviation industry, to the tourism industry, that if something happens, the first hour is critical, and people could live.”
In addition, the veteran pilot also called on the regulatory agencies to ensure that vessels are seaworthy and the people are licensed to operate.
He also advocated for “harsh penalties” to be imposed on persons found in breach of the regulations.
Minister Benn, who was asked about the capabilities and results of search and rescue missions in this country last Saturday, said that while there is a need for more resources and added features to the one presently employed to undertake search and rescue missions, Guyana is working with what it has.
He said Guyana’s search and rescue operations are done with the resources that are available to the government and what the government can afford.
Benn noted that when there is a need for more resources than the government has at its disposal, calls are then made to other agencies and resourceful citizens.
The minister also stated that, in some cases, the assets closest to the point of a reported tragedy is then asked to respond and this includes neighbouring states.

MISSING SEAMEN
In explaining his involvement in the most recent case of the four men who went missing at sea after the MV Chris-Ann V sprang a leak and sank off the mouth of the Essequibo River, last Wednesday, Gouveia said, “The father of the first young man that was found, Elbert Jack, approached me 24 hours after the incident in tears, and related the story and that his son was lost at sea. He explained the hurdles he was facing by officials to his plea for help. Immediately I mobilized my staff and dispatched the pilots who were airborne at the break of dawn with family members to  search the area of the Atlantic ocean along the coast. I made several calls to Minister Benn and after failing to make contact with him, I spoke to Dr. (Roger) Luncheon and explained the course of action I was taking.”
Mere hours after this, a team from the Guyana Defence Force was deployed to aid in the search of the missing men; three days after the incident, the first survivor, 25-year-old Elroy Jack Jr. was found.
Meanwhile, Jack’s father, Elbert Jack senior, while grateful for the assistance and efforts which led to his son’s recovery, is calling on the authorities to place more emphasis on the response time in such cases.
He said, “It was not until one day after that I met with the Harbour Master who said he did not hear about the incident. Later that day I went to the GDF Maritime Office and we spoke of getting a helicopter to start the search; but by that time it was already 16:30hrs that afternoon, and I knew it was too late.”
According to the father, he then left to place the story in the local newspapers, where he was advised to seek the help of Captain Gouveia, as he frantically tried to mobilize a search team to find his son.
Subsequently, after the search turned up empty, he proceeded to see Minister of Transport, Robeson Benn, for additional assistance.
He said: “I almost did not get to see the Minister; I was told that he was at lunch, and then at one point I was told to go window-shopping at Giftland until the lunch hour was over. I just wanted to get there to explain to him that my son was missing.”
Almost three days after, Jack was able to speak to Minister Benn and to highlight the urgency of the situation; after the meeting, efforts got underway to locate the missing men.
“I am grateful for all the help I received from the Minister, but I would like to see all the bottlenecks removed in dealing with situations like this. This was a case of life or death, and systems need to be put in place,” he said.
He also expressed gratitude to Captain Gouveia and his team for listening to his plea for assistance and for responding in a timely manner.