Claude Mills, Staff ReporterA DISPUTE is brewing between the Cayman government and the Jamaican Consul to the Cayman Islands over a shipwrecked boat, "Sammy", that the Caymanians have refused to hand over to its Jamaican owner unless a "salvage fee" is paid.
The Cayman Islands government has sent a bill to the Jamaican government through the Jamaican Consul for the cost of salvaging the boat and other incidentals incurred by four fishermen who were rescued at sea almost two months ago. The fishermen were rescued by a passing ship after being missing for more than 10 days.
The bill, which amounts to about US$1,600, includes the cost of transporting the men from Cayman Brac to Grand Cayman, and the Caymanians insist the boat will not be returned to its Jamaican owner, Lloyd Beckford, unless the bill is paid.
Robert Hamaty, honorary Jamaican Consul in Cayman, is appealing to the Cayman Islands government asking them to waive the fees on humanitarian grounds. The fees, it is understood, are legal under Caymanian law.
"Up to this present moment, the fees have not been waived but we're working on it. The right authorities haven't said no, so let's give it a while," Mr. Hamaty said yesterday.
The three Jamaican fishermen and one Dominican diver were rescued off Cayman Brac during the last week of June, and were returned to Jamaica after spending one week in the custody of the Police and Immigration authorities.
"The fishermen told the authorities that the owner is wealthy and owns four boats and a large property, and that the bill should be sent to the owner. The argument then is that since the boat is not the property of the fishermen, then the money incurred by the Cayman government is still due," Mr. Hamaty said.
After being interviewed by a Drug Task Force, the fishermen were transported from Grand Brac to Grand Cayman at the Caymanian expense, and remained incarcerated for four more days, until it was discovered t they had been reported missing by the Jamaican authorities. They returned to Jamaica on June 30.
According to a report in the Cayman Net newspaper, 'the issue of the incarceration of these men has certainly caught the attention of many - including some of Cayman's most experienced mariners and members of the local Cayman Islands Seafarer's Association (CISA)'.
"The government is going to waive the fees, especially because of the bad publicity they have been getting locally about the incident," Mr. Hamaty said.
Meanwhile, the owner of the boat, Beckford, has reportedly been in Cayman Islands for the past two weeks trying to secure the release of his boat.
When contacted yesterday, his son, Daimian Beckford said: "I don't know anything of any fees, but we have sent a new engine for the boat through a Black River cargo ship and the engine should be there by tomorrow. My father should be home soon."
