Relative of Pomeroon River crash victims wants role of regional chairman probed

A relative of four of the persons who perished in the December 18 Pomeroon River collision is calling on the authorities to investigate the actions of the Regional Chairman, Parmanand Persaud in the tragedy.

Persaud was aboard a boat assigned to Region Two (Pomeroon/Supenaam) when it collided with a small craft with seven persons. Six of the persons on the small craft died and there were accusations that the captain of the regional boat left the scene without rendering assistance. Charges could be brought today against the boat captain on a number of grounds.

Speaking to Stabroek News yesterday, Beverly Narine mother of two of the victims and a relative of two others said that Persaud’s role in the tragedy should come under scrutiny.

“… look how many lives get lost in the river, is nah wan nor two; is six a dem, four of which was from we family”, Narine noted.
She further added that she learned from the boat captain that he was told to sail away after the accident; which she said was wrong because lives could have been saved.

Beverly Narine

“When I been to the hospital … de nurse dem tell me that me daughter was still alive, because it was after she get take off the boat among the dead them wah dey pack one pon top the other, then they realize she de still alive”, Narine stated.

She added that it was in fact 15 minutes after her daughter, Amerita arrived at the hospital that she passed away. After the accident, the regional boat left the scene and it was relatives of Narine and others who rescued the one survivor Eli Orlando Rodrigues and took Amerita and the remains of the others to the hospital. It may have taken as long as 45 minutes after the accident for Amerita to get to the hospital and the regional boat was not involved in this exercise. Had the regional boat assisted immediately it could have taken half of the time to get her to the hospital.

Parmanand Persaud

“Chairman should be … stripped of he position because he suppose to protect he people and he failed to do so… justice need be served man, is meh children dead deh”, Narine stated.

She added that two days ago when her husband visited the chairman’s office and requested information about what happened on the day of the accident, Persaud behaved in a hostile manner to her husband.

When Stabroek News contacted Persaud on December 23 for comment on the various concerns raised over the Pomeroon River crash he said he had no comment. When he was contacted again yesterday about the possible charges to be laid against the captain  he told Stabroek News that he was at a social  at his office and was not aware that such charges may be filed.

“Some days as a mother when I sit and think back about what happen, I does want run mad; we ain’t got nobody to help me here. Me husband not too long do a surgery and was meh son use to help out now he gone wah meh gon do”, Narine cried.

On Saturday, the Maritime Administration Department (MARAD) released a statement on the horrific accident, 11 days after it occurred. The release stated that it was concluded by a preliminary investigation that both vessels were travelling close to the left bank of the river on a similar course when they collided.

MARAD said that the collision was caused by one or both Captains of the vessels failing to observe the international regulation for preventing collision at sea and the Guyana Shipping Act of 1998 Sect 225 (1).

Section 225 (1) cites “ All owners and maters of Guyana ships shall obey the collision regulations and shall not carry or exhibit any other lights or use other fog signals than such as are prescribed by those regulations”.

Section 225 (2) further stated “If an infringement of the collision regulations is caused by the willful default of the master or owner of a ship he shall be guilty of an offence and on conviction thereof shall be liable to a fine not exceeding thirty thousand dollars”.

The MARAD statement said that there were also a number of breaches which were found to be in violation of the Collision Regulations such as:
●  Rule 5 – Failing to maintain a proper look out at all times.

●  Rule 6 – Proceeding at a safe speed so as to take proper and effective action to avoid collision.
●  Rule 14 – Failing to alter the vessel’s course to starboard
●  Failing to render assistance to operator and passengers.
MARAD, the statement said, has advised the Commander of the ‘G’ Division to commence instituting charges in keeping with the requisite regulations relative to this incident.

Harrinarine Bhagwandin; Velda Rodrigues, 50 years, of Abrams Creek; Shawn Anthony, 14 years, of Abrams Creek; Rajkumar Singh, 14 years, of Charity Housing Scheme, Essequibo Coast; his sister Amerita, 10 years; and uncle Vincent Singh, 40 years, of Abrams Creek, all lost their lives when the boat they were travelling in; collided with another boat which was transporting workers from the one laptop per family organization. (Javone Vickerie)