THE Maritime Administration Department (MARAD) of Transport and Harbours Department (T&HD) will be involving multi-stakeholders in the new approach to enforce and monitor safety on the waterways in Guyana. MARAD Director General, Mrs. Claudette Rogers made the announcement in an exclusive interview with the Guyana Chronicle.
She said, during the first quarter of this year, there were a number of accidents which resulted in the loss of some 20 lives on the waterways and the Department was unable to have a presence in all 10 Administrative Regions, because of inadequate resources.
Rogers said the new strategy is intended to see a number of Government, private and public agencies coming on board.
She said, with the assistance of cadets in training, the Department would be looking to start a number of outreach programmes geared at sensitising the targeted groups on the maritime laws, operations of small craft and licences for all vessels sailing within Guyana.
Noting that the geographical area is huge, Rogers pointed out that a number of logistics would be required to cover it and enforce the laws.
She said education and advisory notices would be issued in the print and electronic media and signs and other indications put up, soon, along the rivers.