Off course

MINISTER OF INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS and International Transport George Hutson. (FP)

By CARLOS ATWELL | Mon, December 03, 2012 - 12:10 AM

MINISTER OF INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS and International Transport George Hutson says there’s no truth in an Internet report that Government and the group called United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) have reached an agreement to end the “reflagging” of Iranian vessels in Barbados.

However, he admitted that Barbados had indeed deregistered all Iranian vessels under Barbados’ Flag.

He was responding to a Press release posted on several websites, including the UANI’s http://www.unitedagainstnucleariran.com.

It said UANI applauded Barbados for agreeing to stop putting Iranian vessels on its national register following a letter it addressed to Prime Minister Freundel Stuart and Chris Sawyer, principal registrar of the Barbados Maritime Ship Registry (BMSR) based at the Barbados High Commission to Britain.

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Posted by Bajan Fishermen 5 months, 2 weeks ago: If it is correct that Barbados has deregistered the Iranian owned vessels, then why would the government it not do it to those other shipping companies that register under the Barbados Flag as what is known in the industry as a Flag of Convenience (FOC)?
They are numerous such vessels plying the oceans under this country's flag, denying seafarers their rights to representation and at worst abandoning them all over the world.
What the Minister has not told you, is that Barbados is high on the list of such countries, who are either incapable and or refuse to police vessels under their Flags.
The International Transport Federation has also listed Barbados as one of the 34 countries, that continue to support such behaviour in the maritime industry. If the Minister really want to see what i am talking about, for it seems that either he is unaware, do not care or as the ITF states, are incapable of policing the vessels that they Flag under the name of Barbados; then he can go check this website.
www.itfglobal.org/flags-convenience/flags-convenien-183.
It is only when something like what has begun circulating because of Iran and its nuclear issue, that he took a look. But look a little further Mr. Minister at our shipping registry, and see the problem companies that you have allowed to use our Flag.
How ironic, that this surfaces during our 46 Independence celebration? If you really care about seafarers rights and the reputation of the Barbados flag, Sir, you must seriously look at those vessels and companies that are currently using our flag.
Remember the Canadian vessel and the Brazilian situation? What happened there? What was the outcome of the investigation sir? You owe it to the people of Barbados to tell them.