RAJ SINGH INSURANCE BROKERS HOLDS FRUITFUL DISCUSSIONS WITH MARAD

Pic

From left to right are Ms. Thandi Mc Allister (Legal Advisor – Marad). Ms. Claudette Rogers (Director General – Marad), Mr. Alan Thomas (New World Marine), Mr. Paul Rankin (Maritime Mutual) and Raj Singh (Raj Singh Insurance Brokers).

Raj Singh Insurance Brokers & Risk Management Consultants Inc (RSIB) recently engaged the Maritime Administration when they met on Thursday 22nd of October, 2015 with Executives from the Maritime Administration Department (MARAD) to discuss and help chart a clear pathway forward with respect to the implementation of the Guyana Shipping Act and the new international conventions among other topical issues.

Representing MARAD were its Director General, Ms Claudette Rogers and its Legal Officer, Ms. Thandi McAllister. In doing so we enlisted the expert services of specialists in this field, Mr. Alan Thomas , specialist Marine insurance broker of New World Marine Insurance out of London along with Mr. Paul Rankin (Director – Maritime Mutual out of New Zealand) along with Mr. Raj Singh (CEO of Raj Singh Insurance Brokers).

Several matters of mutual interest to all parties were discussed when these specialist underwriters and brokers took the opportunity to sit with the regulators of the local shipping industry to share their international experience and expertise. Some of the key areas addressed were liability insurances for all vessels over a certain level ( mainly Protection and Indemnity commonly refer to as P&I), standardized crew contracts, the new marine conventions, implementation of a computerized database of all seafarers, establishment of a local body to assist seafarers and their welfare, penalties for vessel owners who fail to remove wreck, among others. The MARAD officials highlighted the work being done at their department and was very happy to meet with the delegation and promised to tap into the expertise of the group in the execution of its mandate.

In closing Mr. Raj Singh offered to collaborate with MARAD on hosting a maritime conference in the near future on sensitising stakeholders and the public in general as to the progress on the implementation and adaptation of these new policies, once incorporated, by the laws and regulations of Guyana.