Port Authority takes boat captains to court after accident
It was a terrifying experience that could have proved fatal: a water taxi full of tourists traveling at night hit an unlit barge. Fourteen people were taken to the hospital for treatment. It was only by sheer luck that their injuries were minor. Although the Dutch tourists have already left Belize, the Belize Port Authority, under the leadership of Captain John Watson, did not take the incident on August 13th lightly. The Port Authority has taken the matter to court with both the coxswain of the “Reef Beauty” water taxi and the skipper of the tug “Emma V” facing charges. A stern warning has been issued to all boat operators telling them to tighten up. But the Port Authority can’t police the waters alone; it needs the public’s cooperation. Janelle Chanona reports.
Francis McNab, Boat Captain
“We don’t disregard the procedures, we try to do as best as we can with what we have, right. The main problem is right here the tugboats and the sailboats, there is no parking and the tugboats, instead of they double park and triple park, they can also help. They can move out if they are not using it for the day. The main thing and the primary concern is the safety of the passengers coming in on these boats.”
The parking of boats is not the only problem at the mouth of the Haulover Creek. Now there is the concern that the safety of the passengers is frequently jeopardized. McNab says following certain safety guidelines can be difficult, especially when passengers do not want to comply.
Francis McNab
“From time to time, we would give it to them if they ask for it or whatever. But it is a pain in the neck, those lifejackets, and when, the people, you give it to them, they don’t want to put it on and then it’s there and then it flies out of the boat and you lose twenty five dollars or then you have to turn around. So it becomes inconvenient.
I think we have our end of it pretty much under control, right. The little things that have to be done, have to be done with the help of the government.”
Janelle Chanona
“And while one boat captain might have things under control, yesterday, for the first time in the history of Belize, two boat owners were brought up on charges for breaching safety regulations.”
Captain John Watson, Harbormaster
“As a result of an accident or incident rather on Friday the thirteenth of August, what a day, that involved a water taxi, a barge and a tugboat, we conducted investigations and those investigations have led us to seek to charge two individuals in court. That was done and the case will be heard at a later date.”
Watson says the most common safety violation is the use of improper lights, or failure to use lights. To avoid fatal incidents at sea, the Port Authority has resorted to “spot checks” to make sure all safety measures are being followed. While boat captains might not like the idea, Watson says response has been good.
Captain John Watson
“We’ve had very, very encouraging responses from many, many boat owners. Change, it would seem, is always difficult and I believe that in this case there is a change. A change in attitude by the Port Authority for example, an attitude where we want to police our waters better and in doing that, I’m sure that the number of incidents will reduce. And as I say, I hope that one day, we get to a zero accident rate.”
But achieving a zero percent accident rate will not be easy and it will take a team effort to enforce the regulations. Watson says the support of sister agencies like the Tourism Board, Fisheries, Police and Customs Departments will make sure the hopes for a safer sea do not go out with the tide.
Captain John Watson
“I think the main lesson that has been learned from this incident is that we, the Port Authority, can enforce the laws of Belize. And as demonstrated by the fact, the mere fact that two people appeared in court yesterday, charged with offenses within the waters of Belize, that from a Port Authority point of view, and indeed from the general public’s point of view and from an international point of view is very, very good news indeed, whatever the outcome.”
To make sure all its days are not spent between the courts and the sea, the Port Authority is organizing educational programs and a series of courses about water safety for water taxi operators and the general boating population. Janelle Chanona for News Five.
If you meet a water taxi operator who does not distribute life jackets, see a tug boat without proper lights or encounter any other hazard, you are asked to report the incident in writing to the Deputy Harbormaster Major John Flowers. The Belize Port Authority was formed in 1980 and in 1981 an ordinance was passed making it controller of the Belizean waters.
