Latest update December 23rd, 2024 3:40 AM
Suriname lawmakers get tough in wake of deadly piracy attacks
Two weeks after the deadly attack on Suriname waters that left three Guyanese fishermen dead and 12 missing, lawmakers in that country have started to debate tough regulations to manage the fishing industry.
Any decisions will likely to impact fishermen – the majority of them Guyanese who are either living there or travel back and forth from Guyana to ply their trade in Suriname waters.
Last Thursday, Suriname’s online news, De Ware Tijd, reported that the country’s National Assembly discussed the issue of safety and licensing during a sitting.
The Government faced numerous questions and proposals on how to guarantee safety at sea in the future and to secure the fishing industry.
Suriname’s National Assembly is cracking down on the fishing industry after disclosures that it was poorly monitored and regulated.
The Government side, it is being reported, wants internal consultations within its ministers and other decision makers to prepare to answer questions.
Facing questions were Minister of Justice, Stuart Getrouw; Minister of Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Fisheries, Lekhram Soerdjan; Home Affairs Minister, Stephen Tsang and Minister of Defence, Ronni Benschop.
They were asked about the status of fishermen, who are mainly illegal Guyanese. Questions were also raised about the involvement of the Government of Guyana in helping to resolve the movements of fishermen without proper documents.
The newspaper reported that there is a proposal to withdraw all fishing licences and re-issue them after a process.
The Surinamese coast guard was also accused of being corrupt.
In the National Assembly sitting, questions were asked and proposals have been made about safety mechanisms such as the Vessel Monitoring System that should have functioned during the drama or should have been purchased long ago.
There were also questions about help for the wounded and relatives of affected fishermen.
Meanwhile, the National Assembly of Suriname agreed to the adoption of a proposal from members of the coalition. In the agreement, the Government has to inform the members of the National Assembly about safety at sea for stakeholders and the further development of the fish sector. It is also being reported that families of the Guyanese fishermen are very concerned.
According to the coalition, the incident puts a damper on the many positive initiatives the government has taken to develop the fishing industry.
The opposition, however, thinks that the government should be blamed for negligence, as it took hours after for the matter to become known.
The opposition and coalition are both of the opinion that the fishing sector is important for the Surinamese economy and employment; it provides more than 6,000 jobs.
The attack on boats with 20 fishermen on April 27 was said a planned one in retaliation to the killing of a Guyana-born man. The individual, who owned several boats in Suriname, was gunned down at his home.
It is believed that the killing stemmed from a fight for control of fishing grounds in Suriname.
The attack on the four boats targeted specific persons, with one man tied up and weighted down with a battery before being dumped overboard.
Other crewmen were chopped and shot at after being flung into the water.
The incident saw several persons arrested in Suriname, in several raids, with two persons believed to be part of the attackers.
Last weekend, Public Security Minister, Khemraj Ramjattan journeyed to Suriname to assess the situation, meeting with relatives of the missing men and authorities there. He signaled that there will be more checks on fishermen to ensure proper records and a proper system to allow for all crewmembers to be listed and identified before departing their homeland.
The attacks have been described by both governments as a massacre, with some likening it to terrorism.
Following the arrests of several Guyanese fishermen in recent days, it was reported that Suriname has sent back a number of them who were undocumented.
There are thousands of Guyanese living in Suriname, with crossing the border between the two countries, at Corentyne, almost an informal affair.
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