Illegal Guyanese fishermen to be prosecuted in Suriname
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| Published on Friday, June 6, 2008 |
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By Ivan Cairo
Caribbean Net News Suriname Correspondent
Email: ivan@caribbeannetnews.com
PARAMARIBO, Suriname: Twenty-seven Guyanese nationals are facing substantial jail terms for fishing without a licence in Suriname’s waters, judicial authorities here disclosed. Charges will be laid for alleged illegal fishing activities while additionally they are being slapped with committing the offence of illegal entry, while during their illegal fishing operations they were using so-called fish cages which are banned internationally and prohibited for fishing in Suriname.
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| Suriname Justice Minister Chandrikapersad Santokhi |
Minister of Justice and Police, Chandrikapersad Santokhi would rather slap the offenders with considerable fines, confiscation of the seized vessels and equipment and expulsion, but prosecutors say they will lay charges.
Santokhi disclosed that the situation requires swift actions to send a strong message to all potential illegal fishermen in Surinamese waters.
“In my opinion pressing charges and taking the suspects to court is a much longer road. I wanted to see immediate actions, but to prosecute or not is the exclusive call of the Prosecutor-General,” said the justice minister.
Defending his position prosecutor-general Subhas Punwasi maintained that the detainees committed a criminal offence and therefore should be brought to justice.
“They have violated our laws and we will take them to court,” he argued.
While prosecutors will request stiff jail terms, they will also seek confiscation of the fishing boats, materials and other equipment of the detainees.
Over the weekend a total of five fishing boats of the so-called Venezuelan-type with 27 illegal Guyanese fishermen were caught red-handed using fish cages in Surinamese waters. A press release from the Ministry of Defence indicates that the last two vessels seized on Monday had over 7 tons of fish.
Defence Minister, Ivan Fernald, said that meanwhile a quantity of the catch has been sold already by the authorities. In an invited comment ha noted, that the clamp down before the Suriname coast will continue in order to protect the country’s fish stock from depletion and securing the livelihood of some 7,000 local fishermen. | | | | Reads : 188 |
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