Ramjattan says working with Surinamese security minister to fight piracy
Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan last Thursday said that he and his counterpart in Suriname are working together closely to fight piracy in both countries.
Ramjattan, in an invited comment to reporters at the launching of the Guyana National Road Safety Council’s magazine, said that he and the Minister of Security in Suriname have been working closely together to find persons who have been attacking both Guyanese and Surinamese fishermen.
He said that the Suriname minister has also indicated to him that their fishermen have also been attacked by perhaps the same persons who have been attacking those in Guyana.
The minister stated that piracy has to be dealt with on a national security level but added that at the last Caricom Heads of Government meeting, both governments had a very important meeting on the issue.
Ramjattan added that the partnership has seen a few suspects already being caught.
Ramjattan said that there should be better coordination with the Surinamese police force, since they have found that after pirates commit crimes in Guyana, they would then normally go to Suriname. He said that that both ministries are working on blocking safe havens through better diplomatic coordination.
The last pirate attack occurred on May 28, when the Rosana 664 was hijacked by five men, who attacked Captain Seepersaud Persaud and his crewmembers, eventually throwing them overboard.
Persaud survived the attack, while crewmember Hemchand Sookdeo was found dead. Munesh Churman, known as Boyo, 26, Dochan Sukra, known as Butcher, 54, and Dhanpaul Ramphal, have not been found.
Five fishermen have since been charged with the murder of Sookdeo.