A team of officers from the Maritime Administration Department (MARAD) will travel to the Waini River mouth this week to investigate the sinking of a cargo vessel, which occurred on Sunday.
MARAD, in a statement issued yesterday, confirmed that supply vessel Miss Shivita 2 sank around the Waini River Mouth while entering the Waini River at approximately 4 am.
The vessel is owned by Vijaimatie Balak, of Cane Grove, East Coast Demerara, according to the statement.
The sunken vessel is currently positioned at Latitude – 8 degrees, 26.645 North and, Longitude 59 degrees, 48.323 West on the Waini River, according to MARAD.
When contacted, MARAD spokeswoman Akosua McPherson stated that no preliminary information on the mishap is available and promised to disseminate further information as it becomes available.
The boat, which was loaded with groceries and other items, had departed from a wharf in Georgetown on Saturday afternoon and was making its way to the mining community when the mishap occurred.
Region One Chairman Brentnol Ashley yesterday told Stabroek News that based on information he gathered, the cargo vessel capsized after a period of heavy winds. He noted that at the time the vessel was in the vicinity of the river mouth and experienced some difficulty while navigating its way around a mudflat and that led to the capsizing.
Ashley also lamented that the while the shop owners have suffered losses due to the mishap, the region in turn has also been affected. He stated that persons in the region depend on the private vessels to deliver goods to meet their needs.
He pointed out since 2015, when the government-operated MV Kimbia was taken off the water for repairs, the communities have been depending on private vessels. He stated that while Lady Northcote and MV Barima are operating in the North West District, they don’t operate along all the routes, forcing persons to hire private vessels.
Stabroek News understands that those vessels do not have the capacity to transport a large quantity of cargo as required by businesses.
In September, Cabinet had noted the award of a US$15,627,300 contract that catered in part for the construction of a passenger and cargo ferry vessel to traverse between Georgetown and Mabaruma, in Region One.
Speaking at a post-Cabinet press briefing, State Minister Joseph Harmon said that the contract, which was awarded to Shoft Shipyard Private Limited under the Ministry of Public Infrastructure’s Transport and Harbours Department, caters for the construction and supply of a vessel and associated equipment.
