Page 7 - aruba-today-20200925

A7
WORLD NEWS Friday 25 September 2020
Stuck at sea: Nations urged to help virus-stranded mariners

By ANGELA CHARLTON for how many merchant
PARIS (AP) — Another CO- mariners have contracted
VID-19 problem that the the virus, but Guy Platten of
U.N. is trying to solve: how the International Chamber
to help more than 300,000 of Shipping said the virus risk
merchant mariners who are is "relatively low" because
trapped at sea because of shipping companies have
coronavirus restrictions. strict protection measures
Describing the mounting and "have no wish whatso-
desperation of seafarers ever to bring infections on
who have been afloat for our ships."
a year or more, Captain He blamed "red tape and
Hedi Marzougui pleaded bureaucracy" for crew
their case Thursday at a change delays and said
meeting with shipping ex- border guards and local
ecutives and government port officials in some coun-
officials on the sidelines of tries are being overzeal-
this week's U.N. General As- ous in blocking them from
sembly. coming ashore. One way
As the pandemic washed goods are still able to get
over the world and made ashore despite restrictions
shipping crews unwelcome is by dock workers fetching
in many ports, he said, "We A cargo ship approaches the port of Piraeus as other ships are anchored, near Athens, Greece in them from the ships.
received very limited in- this May 26, 2020 file photo. France proposed compil-
formation, and it became Associated Press ing a global U.N. list of ports
increasingly difficult to get that can be secured to ac-
vital supplies and technical ments to recognize mer- "Not knowing when or if we to work. commodate crew chang-
support. Nations changed chant crews as essential would be returning home Maritime officials from Pan- es. Kenya called for sharing
regulations on a daily, if not workers and allow them put severe mental strain on ama, the Philippines, Can- costs globally for a rapid
hourly, basis." to travel more freely. With my crew and myself," he ada, France and Kenya testing plan for major ports.
Several months later, many more than 80% of global said. "We felt like second- defended steps they have Crews often work 12-hour
borders remain closed and trade by volume trans- class citizens with no input taken individually to allow shifts with no weekends,
flights are rare, complicat- ported by sea, the world's 2 or control over our lives." safe crew changes or oth- and Marzougui warned
ing efforts to bring in re- million merchant seafarers The Tunisian-born cap- erwise ease the crisis. that extending stints with-
placement crews for those play a vital role. tain spent an extra three But officials lamented a out a break risks physical
stuck at sea and forcing Merchant ship crews are months at sea and finally lack of international coor- and mental strain — po-
their employers to keep ex- used to long stretches made it home to his fam- dination among nations tentially putting ships and
tending their contracts. away from home, but as ily in Florida in late May. But and shipping companies, oceans in danger.
U.N. Secretary-General virus infections and restric- more than 300,000 mariners calling for new rules to pro- The captain compared it to
Antonio Guterres joined tions spread early this year, are still stranded, waiting tect countries from the virus telling a marathon runner
shipping companies, trade anxiety mounted along for replacement crews; while respecting the rights at the end of the race that
unions and maritime orga- with the uncertainty, Mar- about as many are waiting of stranded crews. they had to "do it again,
nizations in urging govern- zougui said. on shore, trying to get back No figures were released right away, with no rest."q

Guinea's opposition urges West African leaders to step in

By BABACAR DIONE as unconstitutional Conde's sands of people have tak-
DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — decision to run again in the en to the streets in Guinea
Guinea's main opposition Oct. 18 elections. This will to oppose another term
leader called on neighbor- be the third face-off be- for Conde. He insists he
ing West African states to tween Conde and Diallo, is following the will of the
head off a political crisis in who first ran against each people by running in the
Guinea where President Al- other in the country's 2010 October elections, after
pha Conde is running for a election that came after voters in March approved
third term in October elec- more than a half-century of a referendum that allowed
tions. dictatorship. for him to run again. Since
The 15-nation West African "We are a little jealous of then, dozens have died in
group known as ECOWAS the promptness with which anti-Conde demonstrations
supports democracy in the ECOWAS acted in Mali to that have turned violent.
region and has recently help that country reconcile Diallo, of the Union of Dem- In this image made from UNTV video, Alpha Conde, President of
pressed Mali's junta, who when it has not taken ac- ocratic Forces of Guinea Guinea, speaks in a pre-recorded message which was played
during the 75th session of the United Nations General Assembly,
seized power last month, tion to help Guinea which party, said he traveled to Thursday Sept. 24, 2020, at UN headquarters, in New York.
to return the country to ci- has long been in crisis," Di- Senegal to rally the support Associated Press
vilian rule. Guinea's opposi- allo told reporters in Dakar, of the large Guinean popu-
tion leader, Cellou Dalein Senegal, where he was vis- lation living in the neighbor- registry, affecting at least 3 term limit for presidents, but
Diallo, said Thursday that iting Thursday. "We deplore ing nation. million voters. The electoral Conde now maintains that
he would like to see the re- the lack of reaction from "I have the strong will to win commission has said it is un- does not apply to him be-
gional body turn its atten- ECOWAS against President and keep the victory," he able to correct these short- cause of a constitutional
tion to his country. Conde's candidacy." said. He warned that Guin- comings, he said. referendum approved ear-
Diallo, 68, has denounced For months, tens of thou- ea has an unreliable voter The country has a two- lier this year.q