Sickness aboard The Cat

THE Cat is really fast. It took just two-and-a-half hours to transport 640 passengers from Trinidad to Tobago yesterday. But for some, speed had its price. Half an hour into the journey, and with the first roll of the ship, scores of passengers had to be reaching for sickness bags and running to the washrooms as the violent rolling of the fast ferry in unexpectedly choppy waters made them uncomfortably ill. According to the vessel’s captain David Doucet, the “adverse” weather condition was totally unexpected. The sleek, well appointed vessel with its load of happy passengers had left the Port-of-Spain docks at 8.15 am in brilliant sunshine.

Ominous dark clouds hovering in the distance did not indicate a change in the weather. The on-board deejay had welcomed all to the strains of Tony Prescott’s “All Aboard.” Heading the list of invited guests were Planning and Development Minister Camille Robinson-Regis, Mayor of Chaguanas, Suruj Rambachan, Mayor of San Fernando Ian Atherly and Tobago House of Assembly (THA) Secretary Orville London. As soon as the vessel got underway people began moving about, talking and laughing, and generally enjoying themselves. Then came the first violent roll. A loud groan went up just as the public address system came to life with a plea for passengers to “return to their seats.”

Almost everyone complied, but this did not prevent those so inclined from becoming ill. Some were overheard saying they planned to make the return voyage on the Sonia or take a flight out of Crown Point Airport. Yesterday’s maiden voyage of The Cat took place amidst a serious security breach. The usual clearance required when entering restricted areas at the Port of Port-of-Spain fell apart, allowing guests to access the Port and board the vessel without producing any form of identification. Officers at the two security check points did not confirm that persons entering the area were actually invitees.

Speaking to Newsday Noel Garcia, chairman at the Port of Port-of-Spain said: “Staff at the Port became overwhelmed by the number of people coming on board. We invited 250 people, but guests brought along children and their mates. The number of people travelling to Tobago and back numbered 640. We did not want to embarrass anyone so we allowed them to board.” The unmonitored access witnessed at the Port of Port-of-Spain also played out at the Scarborough Port, Tobago. Passengers were able to disembarked and re-board the boat without specified ID. Garcia sought to play down yesterday’s security lapse when he said the exercise was carried out by the public relations department of the Port and not the rightful agency the Government Shipping Services (GSS).

Asked if tragedy had  struck The Cat at sea, how would the Port Authority be able to confirm who was on the vessel, Garcia simply replied that what happened was “an oversight.” He said the GSS was ISO compliant and anyone who tried to board The Cat without proper credentials today would be dealt with. Providing live entertainment on the voyage were pannist Earl Brooks and vocalists Adrian Philbert and Natalie Yorke.