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For the sake and safety of the people of Guyana

Jul 26, 2011 Letters

DEAR EDITOR,
Once again we read about a speedboat sinking in Guyana’s waters – fortunately, on this occasion, with no fatalities.
My wife and I have made three visits to Guyana in the last eight years and have travelled by flat punt boat on four occasions.
One was up river from Linden to go across the river to my wife’s family home. This was a simple family boat and not a commercial craft.
Another was from Linden up river for several miles. In this case the boat was secured against a jetty which made boarding very safe and easy.
The other two trips were across the Demerara between the Georgetown Stelling and Vreed-en-hoop, with one in each direction.
On each occasion the actual contact between the boat and the rickety, wet and slippery wooden steps amounted to about three inches of the boats bow and the boats were not secured.
This is far from being safe and, since I am over 70 and walk with a stick, I felt as if I was taking my life into my hands. I do not have much life left so I would prefer not to travel by this route in future, unless there is a huge improvement.
During the trip the helmsman seemed to be more concerned about trying to beat another boat to the steps than the safety of the boat and his passengers.
Here in England where I live we have the River Mersey with a ferry boat, very similar to the MV Makouria, opertating every hour.
It leaves Liverpool and makes two calls: Seacombe and Birkenhead, but at each, the boat is secured as if it was the end of its day’s service with 3-inch strong ropes from bow and stern and then a jetty lowered and until this has been completed, the access door is not opened and thus passengers cannot leave the boat, and those who want to get onto the boat can not do so until all departing passengers have left the boat.
One major difference is that these ferry boats – there are three that take turns to serve – only carry foot passengers and cyclists/motor cyclists. People with cars or lorries have to use one of the two tunnels.
For the sake and safety of the people of Guyana, it is essential that all speedboat operators are tested regulaly and licenced, and that speedboats are licenced and examined frequently and irregularly by a proper examiner on behalf of the licencing authority.
I spent ten years running a Lifeguard Crew on a beach near where I live and teaching young people water and boat safety and frequently operated a 15-foot inflatable boat with a 14HP engine at speeds higher than the speedboats on the Demerara and Essequibo can manage.
There has been talk in Guyana’s press about having replaced the Berbice ferries with speedboats and, having travelled on the main New Amsterdam ferry, it may be grotty but it is far safer than the speedboats and it is only necessary to look at the water of the Berbice for a few minutes to assess that the currents are too strong to allow for safe use of speedboats.
The river betwen Rosignol and New Amsterdam is narrower and thus, the current is stronger and faster.
Don Johnson,
Wallasey, UK

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