FOLLOWING the release of the three boat captains who were detained in Suriname as a result of lacking requisite documentation, the Government of Guyana is hoping to soon engage Surinamese authorities to have the confiscated vessels and equipment returned to Guyana shores.

This was, on Wednesday, disclosed by Agriculture Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha, who, during a telephone interview with the Guyana Chronicle, said the three men were released on Tuesday; however their vessels and shipping equipment remained in the custody of Surinamese authorities.

The men were identified as Ramesh Ramchand and Mahendra Bissessar of Annandale, East Coast Demerara (ECD); and Troy Tyrell of Lusignan, ECD.
“I had a meeting with them yesterday. They told me that they were in Suriname waters and they had licence but it was a fake licence somebody gave them,” Minister Mustapha said in the interview.

This newspaper understands that the licences were rented to the Guyanese fishermen by a Surinamese local.
The men, who had been in Surinamese custody since last week, were fined a hefty sum of 100,000 SRD (Approximately GY$851,000).

According to Mustapha, the nine crew members, who were already deported to Guyana, were not penalised as it was only the boat captains who were found with the inauthentic licences.
Mustapha said he has engaged Guyana’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Hugh Todd, on potentially connecting with officials in Suriname to see the return of the confiscated vessels and equipment to Guyana.

“Their equipment and vessels were confiscated by the Surinamese authority. I raised it with our Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minster Todd. Hopefully, we can get back their vessels and fishing equipment,” the Agriculture Minister said.

Minister Mustapha noted that, while his ministry was able to give the men some support in the form of hampers, he was hopeful that, with the return of their vessels and equipment, they can return to Guyanese waters to ply their trade once again.

According to Surinamese law, fishing licences are only granted to citizens of that country; however, there has been an unsanctioned arrangement where Guyanese fisher folk have been fishing in Surinamese waters with rented licences from Surinamese nationals, the Agriculture Minister said. The same is also true for Surinamese fisher folk fishing in Guyanese waters. (Naomi Parris)