Finance Minister Davendranath Tancoo is defending stricter enforcement of maritime safety laws, warning that so-called “party boats” operating outside regulations could put lives at serious risk.
Speaking in the Senate on The Finance Bill 2026, Minister Tancoo zeroed in on concerns about party boats, including overcrowding and lack of proper safety equipment.
He warned that treating these issues lightly could have deadly consequences.
“They spoke about party boats as though passenger safety is any little thing. But overloading a vessel is not any little thing. Operating without proper safety equipment is not any little thing. Carrying passengers beyond the lawful limit is not any little thing. When a vessel is overloaded and tragedy strikes, it is not the Opposition who must face the grieving family.”
He said these are not hypothetical risks but real dangers already seen in unsafe marine operations.
“Why must a licensed operator who pays the fee, follows the rules, maintains the equipment, and obeys the law be undercut by the person operating outside the law? Why must the consumer be exposed to unsafe products because somebody does not want to meet the basic standards? Why must the passengers be placed at risk because somebody wanted to overload a vessel?”
Minister Tancoo argued that waiting for an accident is not an option, insisting enforcement must come before tragedy.
“Where an operator breaches the legal requirements and insurances become void, what does the victim’s family get? A condolence message? A rest in peace post? A speech after a funeral? Mr President, no responsible government can wait for tragedy before enforcing the law. Mr President, no serious government can say that the life of a passenger is worth less than the convenience of an operator.”