Something is Rotten in Port Georgetown

I have noted with great interest a release by the Department of Information purportedly coming from the Maritime Administration (MARAD) in relation to the Guyana registered vessel EOLIKA, which was detained by Senegalese authorities after three containers of ammunition valued at USD 5.2 million were discovered on board in the Port of Dakar in January 2022.
Vessel tracking information indicates that the EOLIKA was en route to Port Georgetown and was due to arrive here on January 28, 2022 at 1200 hrs.
According to the release, the vessel’s registration expired on 10th December 2021. The release further expressed MARAD’s belief that the registration documents might have been issued by the International Maritime Safety Agency of Guyana (IMSAG). The release concludes by stating that MARAD severed ties with IMSAG since August 13, 2021.
The following facts are important to note.
Regulations titled The Guyana Shipping (Registration of Ships) Regulations set out the framework for the registration of ships in Guyana.
Regulation 17 addresses the scenario where a ship becomes entitled to be registered and it is not in its home country. That regulation provides that if a Guyanese ship is at sea or a foreign port when it becomes entitled or due to be registered, a proper officer (that is, an officer authorized to perform the registration function) may issue a provisional certificate. Regulation 17 goes on to provide that the provisional Certificate of Registration gives the ship registered status until it arrives at a Guyana Port or after the expiration of 6 months, whichever first happens.
Such regulations are common throughout the world, and its intent is to simply make sure that vessels traversing the high seas are registered to a particular State. The nationality of vessels provides an important basis for maintaining order on the high seas.
It is therefore disrespectful to the people of Guyana for the government to issue a release which suggests that the expiration of EOLIKA’s registration one month ago, somehow absolves the Administration and renders the vessel of no concern to Guyana.
The regime then purports to accuse IMSAG of issuing registration documents, but notes that it had severed all ties with the organization since August 2021.
On February 12, 2021, the Director General of MARAD, signed a letter of authorization delegating MARAD’s authority to IMSAG. The Authorization requires a minimum notice period of twelve (12) months by either party for withdrawal of the authorization.
On May 28, 2021, the Director General of MARAD via letter informed the Secretary General of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU)
On the November 11, 2021, IMSAG sent out correspondence to “All the Port State Controls and Relevant Authorities” with the subject “Representation Administration of International Ship Registry of Guyana by IMSAG” in which IMSAG confirmed its representation of Guyana.
If one were to give MARAD the benefit of the doubt, that there was a severance of the agreement on August 10, 2021, in keeping with the terms of the agreement that severance would only be effective from August 9, 2022.
The Government of Guyana is lying to the people of Guyana.

The PPP/C Administration must therefore at once make public:

1. The correspondence terminating the agreement with IMSAG and notification of the relevant international agencies of same.
2. The registration information of all vessels flying the Guyana flag under this so-called Guyana International Ship Registry being administered by IMSAG.
The implications of this situation are dire. How can Guyanese be sure that there is not currently in existence an international network of vessels flying under the Guyana flag involved in all manner and sorts of nefarious activities?
The PPP/C administration continues to demonstrate their incompetence to conduct our foreign affairs, maintain law and order and meet the obligation of international treaties to which we are party.
Something stinks in Port Georgetown. We might need another “operation clean-up”.
Hon. Amanza Walton-Desir, M.P
Shadow Minister of Foreign Affairs