Police release Venezuelan boat after collision

 
The Venezuelan vessel and its seven-member crew have been released from police custody.
But while this has happened, the police are maintaining that investigations into the latest boat collision at Pomeroon, involving Ramjattan Lall, the farmer, are continuing. Lall’s boat was severely damaged and he lost everything including 20,000 coconuts, a 25-horse power engine and other farming equipment. He has expressed dissatisfaction with the current investigation.
Lall is contending that the Venezuelans were released before the 72 hours and on the assurance that they will return to Guyana on Friday.
Lall added the men were released to allow them to discharge a quantity of fish that was deemed as perishable, that they were transporting to Venezuela, when the incident occurred Friday night last.
Initial reports have suggested that Lall, accompanied by three of his workers, was proceeding towards the farmers wharf at Charity when the unlit trawler named “Miliannys” which was proceeding at a fast rate; hit his boat on its starboard side, sinking it within minutes of the impact.
While Lall’s boat sustained extensive damage, he and his workers were left stranded in the water and had to shout desperately for help.
The farmer relayed that after some time, the Mackbool family at Charity rendered assistance to them. He lodged a report about the incident at the Charity police station and was forced to hire two boats, which transported the police, who apprehended the vessel and men on board some ten miles from Charity.
“The men hit us and speed away,” Lall insisted.
Lall said that a senior official from the Maritime Department visited the Coast and did a general investigation.