Improper boats endanger lives on Guyana’s rivers

Apr 28, 2017 Letters

Dear Editor,
For many years now private passenger vessels have been ferrying travellers on the Vreed-en-Hoop-Georgetown crossing, Parika-Supenaam, Parika-Leguan, Parika-Buckhall on the Essequibo River, and Rosignol-New Amsterdam. Not leaving out the Parika-Bartica route, which is the longest river trip for these small vessels.
Here is a list of safety concerns that seem to be overlooked by the authorities, who we feel should have been more involved in the day to day river craft operations. After Transport and Harbours Department would have remedied these anomalies, endangering the safety of travellers, there must be the concerted policy of T&HD to pursue vigilant enforcement of the Regulations. For too, long, almost all regulations and laws governing public safety have been set aside, ignored, much to the discomfort of citizens.
Firstly, there is a published Regulation on River Craft Safety, issued by Transport and Harbours Department many years ago, if we are not mistaken long before these privately owned vessels came on the transportation scene, fulfilling the requirement for fast travel, and in the instance of the Demerara River crossing, the complete siltation of the Vreed-en-Hoop stelling thus preventing the use of the T&HD steamers.
The Regulations we speak of involve the size and safety requirements of the boats. Any vessel plying the country’s rivers transporting passengers must be thirty five feet long, eight feet wide, with a beam of five feet They must be fitted with floatation tanks forward and after, in other words, at the front and the back of the boat. The steering wheel must be fitted at the front, and with life saving devices.
Only the Demerara River boats seem to comply with length, width, beam, safety jackets. The vessel is steered from the back, the captain using the levers of the out-board engine to command the vessel filled with thirty two passengers. A person called a bow-man stands on the bow of the boat, possibly as a look-out, or better yet the eyes of the captain who is hard pressed to see the river ahead. One is left to wonder if the thirty two passengers fit the Regulation standards, on the number of persons allowed in the boat.
The embarkation and disembarkation facilities are wholly unsafe. One is led to think that these landing stages/steps are temporary, better ones would be erected later. The stairs being higher than normal. There are no rails on these landing stages/steps, and when the tide is high, the vessel becomes unsteady, which is dangerous to passengers’ safety. The craft is never secured to satisfaction. The bow man, who now is the purser, stands on the bow of the vessel taking passengers fares, without a care for their safety, on a rocking unsteady boat.
At none of the above named crossing points is there any evidence of safe embarkation and disembarkation facilities. From experience, the Supenaam crossing is the worst of all. The touts and other loafers at Supenaam are another hazard to safe travel. Those who are employed on these passengers vessels, care little for passengers comfort, safety and dignity.
They are basically discourteous, uncouth and most times un-helpful to the weary and scared travellers. Safety vests used on all the routes need regular inspection for their usefulness. Eighteen persons sit in such craft for the journey from Parika to Supenaam, along with much luggage. The boat itself may not be more than eighteen feet long. Its depth is about one foot and about four to five feet wide. This size of craft must be replaced by the Regulation size vessel. The vessels plying the Essequibo River routes must be upgraded to Regulation dimensions complete with safety features now. Much time has passed for the owners of these crafts to be compliant with the basic requirement of the Standards set by T&HD.
Hafiz Rahman
RURAL PEOPLE

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