Lifejackets not worn properly in water taxis

Dear Editor,

On Thursday, June 30, 2016, while in the water taxi going from New Amsterdam to Rosignol, I observed that of the 33 passengers in the little vessel, I was the only one wearing his lifejacket properly; the others had theirs just thrown over their heads and shoulders and not buckled

around the chest. In the event of a watery mishap, such loosely-worn buoyancy aids will simply float off the wearers’ shoulders, leaving them to the elements and grasping for me, the pilot and the bowman, the only ones who were wearing the flotation devices properly, and pulling us all down.

The Transport and Harbours Department should put up notices and diagrams at both stellings and on the craft on how to don a lifejacket correctly and the dangers of not doing so. The pilot and bowman should also insist on the correct procedure before departure. Lives are at risk.

Yours faithfully,

M Xiu Quan Balgobind-Hackett