The Coast Guard has issued an appeal to boat handlers to be cautious of their surroundings and slow down, especially when approaching the shoreline. Public relations officer Lt Commander Kirk Jean-Baptiste yesterday said the death of 14-year-old Lily Blaides was unfortunate and must send a message to boatmen to exercise extreme caution when coming towards shore. Blaides died on Saturday when she was hit by a pirogue driven by a Las Cuevas fisherman. The blades of the propeller sliced her head and other parts of her body. She died on the way to the Port-of-Spain General Hospital. The suspect was later found hiding in a house in Las Cuevas after police from the North Eastern Divisional Task Force under Insp Roger Alexander received a tip. A 21-year-old man was assisting police with investigation up to late yesterday.
Jean-Baptiste said not only must boat operators be cautious at all times but they must have an alert look-out person capable of seeing ahead. “When approaching the shore, boat operators must slow right down and not speed into shore. The look-out must also be able to see a safe distance ahead and must never be under any sort of influence like drugs or alcohol,” Jean-Baptiste added.
He also cautioned boat users to wear life jackets at all times. A retired senior policeman of the now disbanded Police Marine Branch confirmed yesterday there is no law governing licences for fishing vessels and pleasure craft. He said fishermen who own pirogues and owners of pleasure craft do not require licences for their vessels.
However, he explained that if the owner of a pleasure craft or pirogue should engage in transporting passengers to and from beach facilities and other recreational activity, then the owners need to have a launch licence. He said the Coast Guard could only therefore appeal to fishermen and pleasure craft owners to be extremely cautious. He said in this regard the Coast Guard cannot enforce any law because there is none. Contacted yesterday, a spokesman from the Maritime Division of the Ministry of Transport, who asked not to be identified, said a frequent navigational hazard is failure to slow down in shallow areas or in unfamiliar waterways.
Asked if he believed speed played a part in Blaides’ death, the spokesman said this was a possibility as the incident occurred in daylight. “The incident happened around 5 pm. It was still bright and I believe the boatman should have spotted the girl. “For an impact of that nature to occur, it would mean there was indeed speed. The person obviously did not mean for this to occur, but should have been more cautious,” the spokesman said.
Model Student Lost
Blaides, a student of the El Dorado West Government Secondary School, was looking forward to going into form four at the start of the new school term in September. Her books had already been bought. Yesterday, her classmates were coming to terms with the tragedy. Blaides’ principal Anne-Marie Persadsingh described her as a model student who loved reading. “Her nose was always in a book,” Persadsingh added. Blaides’ mother, Arlene, who spoke briefly yesterday, said she was not certain when funeral arrangements would be finalised. She hoped, however, her daughter would be buried by the end of the week at the latest.