– pilot of Panamanian vessel that crashed into bridge in MARAD’s custody
– river taxis to work for 24 hours; no fare increase allowed
In the wake of the accident at the Demerara Harbour Bridge (DHB) that damaged four spans, a Board of Inquiry (BoI) has been set up and the Guyanese pilot of the Panamanian flag bearing vessel that crashed into the bridge has been taken into the custody of the Maritime Administration Department (MARAD).
It was explained during a press conference hosted by Minister of Public Works Juan Edghill and attended by Minister within the Ministry of Public Works Deodat Indar and Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn, that the vessel was seized and the pilot of the vessel was tested for drugs and alcohol. The tests results returned as negative. 
The vessel in question is the MV Trade Wind Passion, a Panamanian fuel ship that was transporting fuel to the Guyana Oil Company (GUYOIL). It was heading south and was the last of five vessels to cross the bridge, when it collided with the bridge.
During the press conference, Edghill explained that they still do not know why the pilot of the vessel steered the vessel the way he did, despite clear warnings from DHB Ship Supervisor Andy Duke, who was directing the vessel through the retraction and attempted to get it to stop after realizing it was out of alignment.
At the time of the incident, Duke was injured after he had to jump from his post to get out of the path of the vessel that eventually crashed into the bridge. He is currently hospitalized with a fractured leg. Edghill noted the importance of getting to the bottom of the accident.
“We as a government, our particular posture, we need to know what happened. Is this just carelessness? Is this terrorism? Is this madness? What’s going on here? Because people are affected. And that is why we have moved so quickly to put in place such a comprehensive board of inquiry.”
According to Edghill, the vessel would not be allowed to leave Port Georgetown until the Board of Inquiry probe is completed and the repairs are done. The company will be asked to foot the bill for the repairs and according to Edghill, MARAD and Transport and Harbour Department (T&HD) have started legal processes to settle this matter. In the meantime, the pilot remains in custody.
“The pilot was handed over to the police this morning, from MARAD, to go and do the testing. And then the police handed them over to MARAD. So, they are basically being actively monitored,” Edghill said.
Meanwhile, MARAD General Manager Stephen Thomas said that the pilot has been suspended and is likely to be permanently banned from operating on any ships. He said the pilot has been employed as a river pilot for decades.
The BOI comprises of Captain Joseph Lewis – a marine officer and surveyor of ships; Thandi McAllister – Legal Director at MARAD; Yurlander Hughes – Member of DHB Board and staff at the T&HD; Inspector Ross – Marine Branch, Guyana Police Force; Lieutenant Colonel David Shamsudeen – Coast Guard, Guyana Defence Force; Patrick Thompson – Chief Transport and Planning Officer, Ministry of Public Works; and Engineer Dimitri Alli – Board Member of National Shipping Corporation.
Bridge
While work continues on the bridge, it was explained that water taxis have been operating since 04:30h on Saturday and will be working 24 hours to transport commuters between the Vreed-en-Hoop and Stabroek Stellings. Edghill emphasized that there would be no fare increase.
Apart from using the Stabroek Market Stelling for boarding, the MARAD Boat house will also be open for persons to access the water taxi. In addition, a third crossing will be set up on Sunday at the Demerara Harbour Bridge for the water taxis to operate to La Grange. A fourth temporary crossing is under consideration from Wales to the Grove/Diamond area.
These water taxi operators have already been warned not to increase the fares otherwise they will face sanctions. Moreover, parking has been made available at the National Stadium for persons on the Western side who are stranded on the East Bank or in Georgetown.
The Ministry is also looking at the possibility of bringing in Barges to transport vehicles with goods and supplies across the Demerara River.
Changes
A number of changes will also be made into how ships operate on the Demerara River. For instance, Minister Edghill explained that the pool of pilots who are skilled enough to navigate through the river without crashing into the bridge, will be expanded.
“We have a system in place where there are pilots from Guyana, and it’s a pool of about five river pilots that bring these vessels through the bridge. They have an agency that engage them. And these are grown, elderly gentlemen who know the river and can navigate it. MARAD has said to us, as Ministers and as the board, the changes that will be made to ensure the pool is broadened and we do things differently.”
Meanwhile, Minister Indar explained that MARAD will be putting in place measures in addition to the pool of river pilots. Now, a MARAD officer will be on board the vessel, so that they can be familiarized with the navigation.
This is something that he explained MARAD usually does for vessels working offshore or vessels coming into the country. This will now be extended to vessels having to pass through the Harbour Bridge.
“To navigate the river is a skill only a few of them have. That is why we have five or six of them. So, what we’re trying to do is that. What we will do is make sure the boundaries are adjusted. So, we’ll adjust the boundaries so that they will take it further down the Demerara River. But MARAD will now have a very active role, in when we move vessels through the opening,” he said.
It was only in September that a tug and barges slammed into Span 9 of the bridge during the retraction period. The impact from the collision pushed the bridge out of alignment, causing the breakage of the connecting end post at Spans 8 and 7; this in turn resulted in a transom to be warp with a slight opening.
