BY JOHN HOUANIHAU

The Solomon Islands Maritime Authority (SIMA) does not have the mandate to cancel shipping business licences when it comes to accidents.

SIMA Director Thierry Nervale said that following the pelican incident that involved a crew who fell overboard and is still missing to date.

“If you’re talking about a license to operate a business, it’s not with SIMA,” he said.

Nervale said that SIMA delivers certificates to vessels to confirm that they are safe.

“We issue certificates to the vessel to confirm that the vessel is safe. Maybe later, when we’ll have the regulation in place. We’ll also have in the regulation; safety management system and we’ll issue a certificate to confirm that the vessel implements a safety management system approved by SIMA. So, it would be at a lesser stage. But we don’t have any power over the operation of the business. Like to cancel the license or something like that? No, no,” he said.

Nervale said the cause of the accident is that this crew member exposed himself and was then washed off by a wave.

He furthered that there could be some responsibilities, but if the police are involved, and then they go to justice, and then it’s the court that will decide.

“But it’s not for the SIMA administration to decide or even for the police to decide,” said the SIMA Director.

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