BK International has told the police that the Dominican Republic firm, to which a consignment of bunker fuel was headed when the vessel turned back two weeks ago, owes it some US$402,000 and as a result the company ordered the captain and crew to return to Guyana with the fuel.
The company had earlier told Stabroek News that some members of the crew were stricken with chicken pox and because they were not getting medication they became angry and threatened to kill the captain, forcing him to bring them back home.
Crime Chief Heeralall Makhanlall told reporters on Monday that the police investigations so far have revealed that the owner of the ship, New Horizon, is saying that the Dominican Republic company to which the fuel was supposed to be taken owed BK International US$402,000. As a result the owner of the vessel requested that it be brought to Guyana with the intention that the Dominican Republic firm would then pay off the debt and the fuel would be released.
Makhanlall said that the matter was still under investigation and the police are awaiting information from the company and then it will seek legal advice on the way forward.
An official of BK International had told this newspaper last week that the fuel would not be returned anytime soon as the vessel has to be fumigated and a new crew might have to be selected.
BK was also demanding that an advisory issued by the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) alleging that the ship stole the cargo of fuel be withdrawn immediately. It is not clear whether this was done, but the ship is still anchored at the mouth of the Demerara River.
BK International stated last week that the ship was forced to come to Guyana with the cargo because members of the crew, stricken with chicken pox, had mutinied.
According to the Interpol advisory, New Horizon was heading to Guyana with the intention of stealing a huge consignment of Bunker C fuel which was destined for a company in the Dominican Republic. BK International however refuted this saying that the claim by Interpol was untrue.
But according to reports, the crew members had said they were not being treated and the situation had become unbearable.
The vessel was returned here and the cargo is still on the ship sealed and intact, an official of the company had said.
Reports are that the Guyanese vessel was contracted to ship a consignment of fuel worth US$1 million from Barranquilla, Colombia to Rio Haina in the Dominican Republic. The vessel, which was to have arrived in the Dominican Republic on February 6, had not reached its destination nor had the company which contracted it been in receipt of any correspondence from the owners of the vessel regarding its whereabouts and the status of the cargo. As a result of this Interpol advised all ports not to allow the vessel to dock and discharge the cargo. The agency was also looking for the vessel’s captain, owner and the operations manager of the company.
Stabroek News was told that the vessel returned to Guyana since February 12 and has been docked at the mouth of the Demerara since. Following the Interpol advisory, management made contact with the company the cargo was consigned to and efforts were being made to contact Interpol to amend the advisory.
