In the wake of the catastrophic sinking of the MV Barima on July 18, the government has installed a new maritime distress system.
Minister of Public Utilities and Aviation, Deodat Indar, accompanied by Parliamentary Secretary, Thandi McAllister, visited the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) to observe the operation of its newly installed Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS).
A release from the ministry said that during the visit, Indar commended Captain Stephen Thomas, Director General of the Maritime Administration Department (MARAD), for the establishment of the MRCC and recognised the young, talented professionals serving at the Centre.
“He also noted the importance of strengthening the Centre’s operational capacity, expressing his desire to see additional human resources deployed to further enhance its capabilities and support its critical maritime search and rescue responsibilities”, the release said.
The brief press release did not mention the July 18 tragedy. The Commission of Inquiry into the sinking of the ferry has already heard testimony about the haphazard alert and warning system that was in place on the night that the ferry sank claiming 73 lives with around 30 others missing. The Inquiry was told that a beacon which could have immediately triggered an alert was not registered with a key international system.
Thomas, who Indar praised yesterday, is to shortly testify before the Commission of Inquiry.
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