Dear Editor,
In the “River of Death” crossing “The Lonely River”, “Fear is the Key” lingered in tension as anything but a “Golden Rendezvous” became an early morning drama in the middle of the Demerara River. Passengers bid “Goodbye Region 3” (not California) leaving their loved ones as they risked their lives on a rainy day to cross over a watery bed, encountering an adventure “Where Heroes Dare” (not Eagles). It is a juicy story traumatised with all the scenic ingredients to capture the necessary elements factored into writing another of Alistair McLean’s script for his usual pulsating suspense book.
Friday the 13th brings the salivated urge, not for food, but an insatiable appetite for trauma in Guyana. A day that is robbed in unthinkable speculation was not robbed of any tense ambiance. The imagination did not go wild, but a reality played out on the high seas without overlooking an act of passengers’ lives being at stake, including workers, shoppers, and school children.
Was the eerie mood set on the day before, when four cows were bulldozed on Thursday morning before 7AM at Cornelia Ida, West Coast Demerara, to prepare a haunting foundation for what followed the following morning within the same time frame? Of course, this failed to make the news, perhaps because the religious significance of cows, as adumbrated in certain cultural opinions, is not readily shared (appreciated) by all.
Then, again, who wants to pay attention to the lives of some insignificant cows? Or, this type of news is not newsworthy (oil), maybe downplayed because it occurred in the country area? In Kitty (City) it would have made a difference. How skeptical can one become when faced with the components of a suspicious mind? To add fuel to fire, did the mysterious burning of Christ Church Secondary School in Georgetown on that late Thursday afternoon contribute to staging an anticipated event to satisfy superstition? No wonder heavy winds and rain aggravated the environment to provoke the setting of abnormal occurrences simultaneously.
Without any exaggeration, was it a coincidence that there was confusion and chaos as vehicles attempted to cross the Demerara River Bridge on Friday the 13th? Or, this frustration of exasperation provided an addition to the chain of successful events to crown the devil in disguise in uncanny eventualities? As parents run berserk, was the air contaminated with evil for them to unleash uncalled attacks on innocent teachers this week? Tuesday night’s motorcycle accident in Wakenaam, Essequibo, resulting in death adds another reason for discomfort, and does not allay the stage for a sinister plot.
Not to make Norton feel left out, why we don’t add his Floridian letter of no-confidence to the trail of uncanny occurrences to go on trial for spectral qualification?
Bizarre it may seem; this reality check makes Guyana a place where what’s possible is done, and what’s impossible will be done. Have no fear, there will be a new overpass to bridge the troubled Demerara River, materialising under the PPP/C governance, unlike that of the former administration. The question of the safety and security of passengers plying the riverine route daily once again makes its appearance to stymie any complacency of efficient services provided by the boat operators.
No wonder the President had to floor any price increase over the holidays. What is alarming is that the relevant authorities are sleeping on the job, and are unconcerned in an uncaring way. Imagine, after scores of years, now a shed is being built at the Vreed-en-Hoop end to shelter passengers from the rain! Someone finally woke up? Those slippery steps endanger people’s lives! Boats bumping and rubbing against each other, especially when bobbing and weaving, can create serious accidents. Many of the life jackets are in poor condition, and some are unworthy! Many of the clips are broken. Who is checking? How often are the boats inspected?
Friday the 13th, one boat left the Vreed-en-Hoop wharf filled to capacity and started an unforgettable journey to Georgetown. In the middle of the river, the engine cut off. The driver attempted to start the other engine, without any luck. Both engines conked out, and failed to restart.
The boat began to drift while twisting and turning dangerously in the choppy water. The waves were not exactly friendly in the water, certainly not placid with a swift-moving current. The driver was agitated and shouted for his attendant. Passengers became alarmed as the boat began to rock and sway from one side to the other while dipping, up and down in the water. The driver failed to sound any alarm or caution passengers to stay calm as some stood up instead of remaining seated. Neither of the operators made any call for help on their phones. No distress signal was exercised, not the honking of any wailing horn or shooting off of any flare!
Luckily, passengers did not hit the panic button, probably because the gravity of the situation did not sink in during the few minutes when this frightening moment took shape. No one began to shout or cry, but certainly, there was the unthinkable thought in the head and the fear perceived in the eyes.
Fortunately, an empty boat was making its way westward, and suspected all was not right. The boat pulled up close, not alongside but with the bows kissing each other and the operator encouraged the passengers to board that boat in the “MIDDLE OF THE RIVER!” Can you imagine that? While looking down into the murky water, young and not-so-young made the transition with the boats rocking and the ever threat of falling into the river present with each step! All thirty-five lives thankfully were saved by this inappropriate rescue operation.
The river authorities never came on the scene, either a Pilot boat to oversee the mid-river transshipment or any management to receive the passengers at Georgetown. It will not be surprising if this incident remains undocumented, is not reported, or is dismissed as “who cares?” Just another day in the lives of Guyanese in Guyana. Will there be an investigation? Is this type of operation approved? Why wasn’t the boat not towed to the shore? How come both engines stopped working? How often are boat engines serviced and inspected? Are boats checked for leakages and damages?
One mid-week morning last year, there was a passenger boat submerged at Vreed-en-Hoop! A barrage of questions needs to be asked and answered. Who will take the initiative to ensure passengers’ safety and comfort come first? This is a happy ending, but it could have ended disastrously!
Yours respectfully,
Jai Lall
