Minister of Public Works Juan Edghill says he’s doing everything within his power to locate three fishermen who have been missing at sea since February 19 and it is under this pretext that he met with the lone survivor Vincent Dazzell on Wednesday.
Following an article published by another online news outlet on Thursday, Edghill told the News Room that he was disappointed that Dazzell would describe the meeting as an “interrogation” when he (Edghill) was only trying to get to the bottom of the situation.
As a result, Edghill is now suspicious of Dazzell’s story of what really transpired on the fishing vessel which reportedly sank in the Mahaica River.
“Yesterday afternoon, I had a meeting with Mr. Dazzell to get any information from him that may not have been captured to be able to help with the search and recovery, search and rescue operation.
“I have seen the…story and that will make me very concerned that probably Mr. Dazzell has something to hide because if he is working with friends and I am basically seeking to get information, clarification because some time, we have to call off the search,” the Public Works Minister told the News Room.
He clarified that he only spoke with Dazzell directly to help all parties involved find some amount of closure.
“And I want to make sure that all the information that should have been given was given to the search party…if we have any gaps, if we have any areas we have not searched and he has interpreted that to mean an interrogation when he shedding tears that he miss [his] friends…
“Then it means that Mr. Dazzell had something to hide and I have no apologies where that is concerned…
“Three people’s lives have been lost and my only concern is ensuring that we have done everything within our power to either find or recover,” Edghill contended.
The three fishermen – Captain Harold Anthony Damon and his crew members Ronald Burton and Winston Sam – went been missing in the vicinity of the Mahaica River after the Noble House Seafoods vessel capsized.
Dazzell claimed he was floating in the river for quite some time before he was rescued by a passing vessel.
It was also Dazzell who informed the families of the other fishermen and Noble House Seafoods- the company that owned the vessel and which employed the men.
So far, only the boat’s fishing net has been located.
But there are growing concerns about what really transpired offshore Guyana with new information emerging that the boat’s captain had a fake licence.
Earlier, government officials lamented that the company did not report that the vessel was in distress and as such, assistance was not immediately mobilised.
