Two boats lost, Berbice fisherman appeals for help

A Berbice fisherman is calling on the government for assistance after two of his vessels sank in rough seas within a week, leaving workers unemployed and several families’ livelihoods on the breadline.

Dooindra Persaud, 55, a seasoned fisherman who operates a small fleet, said the incidents occurred in late September 2025.

“The water was rough and my guys had to be rescued…. big waves just started splashing into the boats. They couldn’t control the water,” Persaud told Ignite News. “Luckily, they managed to call me and I was able to rescue them. One set was saved by a nearby boat, and the other I had to go out in a speedboat with GPS and locate them 4 or 5 hours after,” he explained.

Persaud, who divided his time between Guyana and the United States before returning permanently in 2017 to expand his business, said each boat carries a four-man crew.

The financial losses are substantial. Persaud estimates that each trip a boat makes can earn upwards of $200,000 to $300,000. Losing two boats in quick succession has cost him millions of dollars.

“The workers are out of a job right now, and im trying to put things back in place. To equip one of those boats costs around $12 million. These boats were only about a year and a half old. I valued them at $8 million each, they were basically like new,” he noted.

Persaud is appealing to the government not only for his own recovery but also for the families of the displaced workers.

“If the government could help so that we can get back something, so that those workers can go back to work, it will really be good,” he said.

Persaud continues working behind the scenes to rebuild his fleet and resume operations, but with significant losses and no clear timeline for recovery, the road ahead remains uncertain.