By Latoya Giles The preliminary report into the Prittipaul trawler explosion has slammed the seafood company for its lack of safety methods. It further cited that the fire was caused by a faulty alternator which was exposed to a sparking wire.The report, which was released yesterday, identified several problems and made recommendations that the company should adhere to.The report stated that had the alternator been carefully checked, serviced, repaired or replaced with a proper functioning one, this casualty might not have occurred.Based from the statements gathered from the crew members, the Board of Investigators concluded that nothing could have been done when the fire instantaneously engulfed the vessel but to try to save themselves.In a detailed report it was explained that the vessel, Captain Lloyd 97, was owned and operated by Pritipaul Singh Investments Inc had been taken on a test run on June 18, last which lasted about 45 minutes. Conducting the test was a mechanic Ray Griffith,NFL Jerseys China, who was not certified to do so.On leaving the vessel the mechanic told the crew to inform the captain that everything was functioning effectively.Captain Delbert Williams, whose body was never recovered, took command shortly after the mechanic had taken the vessel for a test run. The vessel left for sea the following afternoon.According to the report while at sea it was Elvis Todd, who was also injured in the fire,Cheap Jerseys, who said that Orlon Munroe was the person who observed that the alternator had an exposed wire.Munroe, in turn, reported it to the captain. The report states that it was Munroe who attended to the problem.Although the vessel had started to encounter problems, this did not force it to stop.The crew continued its voyage towards the shrimp grounds. About 0300 hours the following morning (Saturday June 19, 2010) the crew then put out the shrimp nets and commenced trawling.Todd further reported during the investigation,Cheap NFL Jerseys China, that he began to prepare breakfast some time between 04:00 hours and 04:30 hours after the nets were overboard.He said that the captain then instructed him to leave the galley and to tend a hose which was to be used to transfer diesel fuel from one compartment of the starboard fuel tank to another compartment of the same tank.At this time Munroe and the Captain were in the engine room.Todd was further instructed to allow the dirty water from the hose to run out then put the hose in the fill for the fuel tank and signal him when that was done.The fuel started to flow and he Todd immediately heard screaming coming from the engine room.In narrating the sequence of events Todd, the report stated,Cheap Jerseys, that he looked back towards the engine room and saw the deck already engulfed in flames and the galley door “fly” open.It was reported that Todd ran to the bow and saw fire coming through the accommodation windows. Elvis Adams and George Fitzpatrick who were also injured were already at the bow.He then saw Munroe who was in the engine room with the captain, run out through the starboard wheelhouse door engulfed in flames and jump overboard.The accommodation and wheelhouse were engulfed in fire. He then heard the engine stop. Todd threw Munroe a line but it was too short, then he saw the Captain come out through the after engine room.Graphically Todd in the report said that Williams was in his underwear alone, most of his skin was burnt off, his hair was burnt off, his heels were almost coming off from his feet and he was bleeding from his knees down.The captain saw Munroe in the water and instructed that he Todd, launch the lifeboat, and crew member Adams assisted him in launching it. The lifeboat started drifting away so Adams jumped overboard and swam towards it, climbed into it and paddled towards Munroe with his hands, as no paddles were provided on the trawler.Adams then assisted Munroe to get into the lifeboat.The seas being rough, the lifeboat could not be controlled without the paddles so it drifted away. The captain being fearful that the trawler would explode decided that the vessel had to be abandoned. Williams was then assisted into a shrimp box which was put overboard. The cover for the shrimp box was then put overboard,wholesale jerseys, Fitzpatrick jumped on to the cover and Todd jumped overboard and held on to it. The injured crew members were rescued by another vessel.Munroe who sustained burns over ninety percent of his body and who was interviewed by this newspaper had said that he and the captain were in the engine room about to transfer fuel when the alternator wire which had an exposed section was being handled by the captain.Munroe said that the captain wanted

By Leonard GildarieAuthorities are facing an uphill task to bring irrigation water to desperate rice farmers and already four persons are set to appear before the courts on charges of illegal pumping.In the West Demerara and Essequibo Coast, police and army ranks have been monitoring the conservancies and waterways there but it is a difficult situation, officials have admitted.According to Region Three Chairman, Julius Faerber, four rice farmers from the Windsor Forest, West Coast Demerara, were arrested after continuously disregarding orders of the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA). The four will be placed before the courts shortly, the official said.The current El Nino condition,NFL Jerseys Wholesale, with less rainfall than previous years and dry conditions, has Government at its wits’ end to manage conservancy levels which have fallen to critical levels.Over a year ago,Cheap NFL Jerseys China, excessive rains had the NDIA busy releasing rising waters from the conservancy; now the challenge is how to manage the dropping levels.In the West Demerara and Essequibo, waters are being released in a systematic way to rice farmers but according to rice officials, there are widespread reports of some farmers removing structures and pumping waters when it is not their turn, affecting other farmers downstream who are desperate and depend on the gravity flow for supply.Like in Essequibo,China Adidas Hockey Jerseys, the police and army have been conducting patrols in the backdam areas but this has not stemmed the incidents.Faerber, during the launching of paddy drying facility at Crane Village, West Coast Demerara yesterday, disclosed that calls from irate, affected farmers who are not getting water as a result have been on the increase.One agriculture official, who asked not to be named yesterday,Wholesale Jerseys, said that it is a huge problem.“We understand that farmers are very concerned. After all, it is their livelihood. We have enough water like in Black Bush and Essequibo Coast. But it has to be distributed in the ways we advise or a lot of farmers will not be getting any.”Recently, Faerber had warned of stern measures if farmers do not wait their turn and continue to damage structures and pump water illegally, placing the distribution in jeopardy.Earlier this week, Minister of Agriculture, Robert Persaud, said that the government is raking up a hefty $3.5M bill everyday for fuel and lubricants, as 20 irrigation pumps and 27 excavators work to bring irrigation water to farmlands.Already, the government was forced to utilise resources of the Guyana Sugar Corporation, diverting these to save other crops that are under threat.In the hinterland areas, especially around Pomeroon, it is the plan to assist farmers and residents there with black water tanks, as there is growing evidence that the salinity content is unacceptably high, which poses a significant risk to farms.With harvesting underway,Wholesale Jerseys, there are still 8,000 cultivated acres that face potential damage, a grim Persaud disclosed. Cattle are also facing a rough time.The good news is that there are still 90,000 tonnes of rice leftover that will cater to the local market, thus ensuring no shortages.So far, the rice industry has seen $150M being plugged into it to assist farmers. This is excluding over $200M spent to conduct emergency drainage and irrigation works using government resources.Across the country,Jerseys NFL Cheap, canals were dug to bring water from non-traditional sources and these have served to ease farmers somewhat.