Trinis like too much bacchanal, says fishermen’s relative

“Trinis like too much bacchanal.”

That is how Vickey Mykell Sankar, 34, reacted to comments on social media about the return of three Cedros fishermen with suitcases from Venezuela.

“The luggage belongs to my wife and two daughters. They were helping to tote the suitcases. At the end of the day, it was my wife and I who brought the fishermen back. Her family, the Cedeño family from Barrio La Guaria in Tucupita really helped them out,” Sankar said.

His brother 26-year-old Nicholas Hajarie, step-father 52-year-old Awardnath Hajarie and friend Shami Seepersad, 35, returned on Saturday after spending 16 days in Venezuela. La Guardia Nacional arrested the men off the coast of Cedros on April 5 and charged them for fishing illegally in Venezuelan waters.

When they arrived via Sankar’s pirogue at the port in Cedros on Saturday, the fishermen were holding suitcases which prompted some to say the fishermen appeared to be returning from a vacation.

While in Venezuela, their relatives were worried about the fishermen’s safety given the current social, political and economic situation there.

But National Security Minister Edmund Dillon at last Thursday’s post-Cabinet press briefing said it appeared the fishermen were comfortable and he “sensed” there was no urgency on their part to return home.

“People cannot eat and drink how they want in Venezuela right now,” Sankar said. “Thank God for my in-laws and for their help. Joel, Angelo, Sednando and Chelsea were feeding, carrying clothes and making sure the men were taken care of. I alone could not have done it.”

Sankar who lives in Icacos but frequents Venezuela said the delay of the fishermen’s return had to do with lack of proper documents which had to be presented to Venezuelan officials.

“I did not cancel any trip, it was Immigration who did that because they were not getting documents. I was liaising with the translator Raul Espinosa from the TT Embassy in Caracas and I thank him for everything.”

He also expressed gratitude to Captain German Valasquez of Pedernales and the workmen.

The boat in which the fishermen were fishing remains in Venezuela and Sankar said he is awaiting proper documents to send for its release.