By Alva Solomon

THE presence of a partially submerged water dredge in the Mazaruni River has ignited discussions which are expected to see registration of the vessels being handled jointly by the Maritime Administration Department (MARAD) and the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC).

These discussions began after reports that a water dredge, known as a “dragga” — this one registered to Crown Mining Supplies of North Road, Georgetown –- has, for almost one month now, been hanging on its side along the main channel of the Mazaruni River, close to Issano in Region Seven.

Minister within the Ministry of Natural Resources, Simona Broomes, noted on Monday that the mining company has promised to remove the vessel within two days.

Broomes said she was informed that the dredge, registered SD3398, was being relocated to the Potaro when a pontoon connected to it sank.

Minister Broomes met with officials of the GGMC and MARAD on Monday to discuss the issue. At the meeting, it was disclosed by Harbour Master Michael Tennet that the dredge in question should not have been anchored in an “unsafe manner in the waterways”.

He noted that the situation could result in hazardous consequences, and added that, since 2008, the maritime bodies have been proposing to the mining authorities that all water dredges should be licensed by MARAD prior to operating on the waterways of the country.

“Once we have certified that dredge, we will so inform the GGMC,” he said.

MARAD Director Claudette Rogers noted that the entity’s mandate is fundamentally to promote safety on the nation’s waterways. She said that as road vehicles need licence to operate on the roadways, it is equally important for marine vessels to be licensed before operating on the waterways.

“Ignorance of the law is absolutely no excuse,” Rogers said, noting that she is happy the agencies are able to meet to establish a policy on the issue.

“We want to avoid an accident or incidents from occurring,” she said. MARAD is working to establish safety centres across the country as it moves to improve its limited capacity.”

Minister Broomes stressed that MARAD’s role will be corrected, given the present situation regarding water-dredges. She said the aim is to ensure how many water-dredges are operating and how many are not.

“We are supposed to have a register of the dredges out there, where they are and where they are operating,” she said, as she called for the issue to be corrected.

GGMC Chairman Stanley Ming said the situation regarding water-dredges would be corrected. He said the situation in Guyana pertaining to law and order or a functioning system has, in his opinion, to be followed with no exceptions.

He said the waterways are supervised and controlled by MARAD, and water-dredges can only fall under the purview of that agency. “So whatever information is required from the GGMC in terms of where they are going to, or will be anchoring the dredges, has to be approved by the governing bodies of the waterways,” Ming noted.

The agencies will draft clearly defined rules for vessels that operate on the waterways, and Ming opined that those rules would be established by next month end.

This newspaper reported on Sunday that the partially-submerged “dragga” has been lying lopsided along the Mazaruni River near Issano in the vicinity of Piereemap Falls. The area is known as “the Rail”, and is located between the mining town of Bartica and Issano in the Lower Mazaruni.