Madang villager calls on operators to insure dinghies

 By PISAI GUMAR

MOTORISED dinghy owners need to insure their boats and equip them with live jackets, and fares should also be monitored and controlled based on destinations.

Villager Ange Pariwe from Lalok in Astrolabe Bay in Madang raised the concern over the loss of lives that went unreported without dinghy owners being held 

responsible.

“The geographical nature of Raicoast district ensures many people to use dinghies to travel to and from Madang town for businesses; also due to inexistence of road access but these boats were uninsured and passenger safety was not guaranteed”.

“We continue to experience more boat tragedies but the local level council and district authorities have done nothing to ensure human lives travelling on dinghies were protected and safe,” Pariwe said.     

“The government continues to neglect the human dignity and value without providing better sea transport for the people. We still wonder where the mv Gau 

is operating.”

Kalele added: “It is unfair for the government to allow motor vehicles to insure their vehicles, pay vehicle registrations, drivers’ licences while dinghy owners enjoy free service.”

He said many people were buying dinghies like cakes due to increase demand in transport services for coastal and island communities but safety mechanisms was lacking.

Pariwe said the government needed to set up monitoring and controlling mechanisms to ensure passengers’ lives were protected and fares charged fairly.