THE $99 million marine monitoring vessel, Cavalli, procured by the Fisheries Department of the Ministry of Agriculture, will soon be able to patrol local waters, as the remaining pieces of equipment necessary to make the vessel operational are currently being sourced.
The vessel which was commissioned in June, 2020, has not been operational due to it not being equipped with the necessary, supportive apparatus, and there being some issues related to staffing for the vessel.
Agriculture Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha, on Friday, during a visit to the Guyana Defence Force (GDF)’s Coast Guard Headquarters at Ramp Road, Ruimveldt, Georgetown, where the vessel is currently docked, announced that efforts to source the supportive equipment, as well as to recruit staff are currently underway.

Mustapha noted that a sum of $40 million was allocated in the 2020 Emergency Budget to complete payments for the vessel, while additional sums have been budgeted in this year’s budget to secure equipment for the vessel.
While the cost for the vessel is some $99 million, the aggregate cost of the vessel and the necessary equipment that is required to make the vessel operational will amount to some $150 million.
The vessel is currently lacking general equipment, such as compasses, flares and satellite phones.
Minister Mustapha said that he is optimistic that the equipment would be secured and that staffing will be addressed within the next there months.
Specific to staffing, the minister related that advertisements for applications were circulated, but the responses were not favourable. Owing to this, he suggested that former coast guards would be ideal for the job.

Addressing the existing issues expeditiously is important since the vessel will be useful in patrolling Guyana’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) with the aim of curbing piracy and other issues affecting the fishing industry.
The vessel, Minister Mustapha said, will also go a far way in assisting the Coast Guard to monitor vessels entering Guyana waters, and to ensure that fisherfolk adhere to safety practices and abide by the rules and regulations governing the industry.
Minister Mustapha noted that this is the first vessel of its kind that the ministry has procured, so that regular patrols could be conducted.

“This is the first one, I am hoping that we can purchase more, but we have to complete this one first and then go on to the next. I am hoping that next year budget I can put in the budget another vessel,” he said.
He noted that with increased activities in local waters, due to the oil and gas industry, marine monitoring vessels are a necessity to ensure international vessels abide by the Guyana’s laws.
“Many times, vessels might come into Guyana waters and we might not know about those things, now we will be able to help curb those practices, if there are any illegal practices that are taking place, we’ll able to curb with the operation of this boat,” he said.