Agriculture Minister met with missing fishermen’s families

 

Berbice : Minister of Agriculture Robert Persaud met with the families of the five missing Berbice fishermen at the Number 66 Village Berbice yesterday and assured the families of a coordinated effort between the Guyanese and Surinamese authorities in search of the missing men.


According to information released by the Government Information Agency the Ministertold the families “we must be reminded that this took place in the jurisdiction of Suriname, so we are heavily dependent and reliant on the Surinamese authority and enforcement entities taking enforcement actions”.
 “Already communication has been made with Suriname and they have started searching by air, land and sea,” Minister Persaud said.

And even though most of the effort is concentrated on where the boat was found (Suriname) the local coast guard has been patrolling the Guyanese waters, he told the relatives.
On August 6, fishermen; Kemraj Dhanpat, Narine Dhanpat, Clifford Singh, Ouditnarine Ramnarine and Suresh Martin left home for a 10-day fishing trip at sea. Suspicion was raised after the men failed to return after the 10 days and enquires led the boat owner to Caroni, Suriname where he found a stripped boat but no trace of the five men.

The relatives of the fishermen as well as local fishermen and friends have been patrolling Suriname’s water. They have been concentrating their efforts on areas they believe persons could hide as well as those areas they believe the fishermen could have been dropped off by pirates to wander.
The families stated their wiliness to pay for any lead that will assist in finding the missing men and any ransom required.