Latest update April 19th, 2024 12:59 AM
Jul 27, 2011 News
Passengers who lost their luggage and valuables during Sunday’s speedboat mishap along the Parika to Supenaam route are unlikely to be compensated.
According to Stephen Thomas, Director Maritime Safety, Maritime Administration Department (MARAD), the body would be pressuring the vessel’s owner to compensate the passengers.
However, the owner is not obligated to do so since there is no policy in place. Nonetheless, passengers could take an alternative course of action in obtaining compensation for their losses, he emphasized.
Thomas stated that not all boats operating as passenger vessels have third party insurance but this would soon be mandatory. All modes of transportation have their limitations to liability and MARAD does not have its in place as yet, he added.
In terms of ensuring the safety of passengers and vessels, Thomas noted that boats are checked once yearly, mandatorily, for annual certification. All captains and bowmen must be certified to operate vessels.
In addition, inspections to vessels are made randomly several times during the year. He stressed that owners are expected to carry out maintenance works once weekly. The Parika to Supenaam route has over 80 speedboats and only 50 percent work daily, as such owners have enough time to repair their boats, he added.
Thomas emphasized that the inspections are expedited to ensure the structural integrity of vessels.
MARAD continuously monitors the operations of boats to improve safety and when there is an accident, the body has to determine how and when it occurred. This will result in the introduction of new and improved safety requirements, Thomas stressed.
It was noted that the department is currently investigating the incident.
He indicated that some of the safety regulations that are in place to ensure safety are: boats must have structural integrity; adequate life-saving devices on board; adequate fire-fighting equipment present; and vessels cannot be overloaded.
On Sunday, a speedboat travelling from Supenaam to Parika sank leaving passengers stranded in the Essequibo River for several minutes until they were rescued. While some passengers were able to save their belongings, the luggage and valuables of others sank.
According to passengers, water was seeping into the vessel profusely from a hole that expanded as waves continuously hit against the bottom of the boat. Attempts to plug the gap proved futile.
Where is the BETTER MANAGEMENT/RENEGOTIATION OF THE OIL CONTRACTS you promised Jagdeo?
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