A SHIP'S TALE

SOS! Calling Monsieur Hercule Poirot, Sherlock Holmes et al your services are needed! More questions than answers does not begin to describe the mystery of the Guyana-flagged ship MV Eolika aboard which Senegalese customs authorities last week discovered an estimated USD5.2M in illegal arms and amnunition.

According to various international news services, the Senegalese customs seized three containers of arms and ammunition in the capital port Dakar following inconsistent declarations of the ship's cargo. The crew is reportedly Ukrainian.

Both the local media and social media hacks, definitively peddled that the ship was enroute to Guyana. However, the various international media sources from which they obviously obtained the story, reported that " Eolika's final destination is also unknown." (Channels Television) In fact,The Maritime Executive, reported the absence of reliable navigation and maritime transport documents also tipped off authorities that something was amiss. Perhaps the hacks in the absence of demonstrably investigative reporting skills, were privy to the manifest that the Senegalese customs reportedly failed to find aboard. The Maritime Executive also stated that the Guyana registered ship is owned by Greek interests. "Additional reports from Greece and Italy seem to indicate that the ship and its owner have a checkered past with peace activists in Italy." (The Maritime Executive) Before the Eolika arrived in Dakar, it docked in Spain and Italy.

Generally speaking, it is not unusual for ships to be registered in a country other than that of their origin. It is a common practice also known as the flag of convenience. International law requires that every ship must be registered with a country. This is then known as its flag state and means that that country has jurisdiction over the ship and is responsible for ensuring its seaworthiness and the working conditions of the crew. Flags of convenience are highly sought after to avoid for instance the often stricter regulations and safety standards, and also for tax avoidance purposes in the ship owners' home countries.

As the news spread, so too did Guyana's connection as the flag bearer begin to enter murky waters. The statements of Deodat Indar of the Maritime Administration Department (MARAD) and Attorney General Anil Nandalall literally mirrored each other. Both distanced the country's regulatory authority from the registration of Eolika. The statements indicated that the ship's registration had expired in December 2021, it was not in the local ships' registry and that its registration had been issued by the International Maritime Safety Agency of Guyana (IMSAG). An agency that Indar and Nandalall claim the Government of Guyana severed ties with on August 13th 2021.

Meanwhile, a press release issued by the Guyana Police Force, disclosed that it is investigating. Additionally, the police indicated that it was working alongside regional and international law enforcement agencies including INTERPOL. The release further stated it would "assist in the questioning of one Suneil Kumar Chief Executive Officer of a Company Inc. that is involved in the registration of motor vehicles and with which MARAD had severed ties during last year."

The pertinent question being who is behind this mysterious IMSAG? An online search of the company that purportedly registered Eolika under the Guyanese flag, revealed that it is based in Singapore. Curiouser yet, another search revealed a heavily redacted Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for a period of five years dated March 3rd 2021. It is purportedly between the Maritime Administration Department, Ministry of Public Works of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana and the "Aryavart Corporation of India on cooperation in the representation as an international representative of the Guyana ship registry." As per the Guyana Shipping Act, MARAD delegated such authority to Aryavart as "an international technical and administrative representative of the Guyana Government."

Interestingly, the MOU further states that MARAD will not give any authorisation to any other company worldwide for purposes as the same as authorised by Aryavart for its duration. Also, the MOU advised that any international query related to the registration or promotion of ship registration and certification be directed to none other than IMSAG. The MOU was signed by Stephen Thomas, Director General of MARAD.

Some days later, yet another Guyana-flagged vessel is involved in another scandal. This time the ship-to-ship transfer of Iranian crude oil in the South China Sea. According to Iran International news outlet, MV Voras, the vessel named as bearing Guyanese registration is owned by the Malaysian International Shipping Corporation Berhad.

Enquiring minds want to know if IMSAG was also responsible for registering Voras.The foregoing begs several questions. Who is the force behind the PPP/C government entering into an agreement with Aryavart Corporation and IMSAG? What sort of due diligence was done if any? Who stood to benefit from these agreements? What were the reasons behind the alleged termination of IMSAG's services? Why did MARAD see the need to outsource its services? What services did IMSAG provide that the local MARAD could not?

Also of note, is the fact that to date, IMSAG's website remains online and continues to purport that it has an agreement with Government of Guyana.

Evidently, Inspector Cluoseau and Sam Spade too are needed to connect the dots. There are many layers to peel if only some enterprising media house in Guyana would do some real investigative leg work.

P.S. APNU for the love of God, please instruct your MP Annette Ferguson that the plural of ammunition remains ammunition. There is no s. Could Ferguson also explain what she meant, when in reference to the illegal arms seizure she said during her speech in parliament "worth USD5.2M Guyana dollars."