–VP affirms in update to NTC on tragic MV Barima; notes affected leaders will be engaged separately
–assures stakeholders gov’t will continue discussions to advance community development
VICE President Dr Bharrat Jagdeo has assured citizens that those responsible for breaches surrounding the tragic MV Barima boat incident will be held accountable, while pledging that the government will separately engage Amerindian leaders from the affected communities to ensure their concerns are fully addressed.
Addressing Toshaos at the National Toshaos Council (NTC) Conference at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre on Monday, the Vice President said a comprehensive investigation is already underway to determine the circumstances that led to the tragedy.
Dr Jagdeo disclosed that the government immediately established a joint investigative task force comprising the Maritime Administration Department (MARAD), the Guyana Police Force and the Guyana Defence Force.
Investigators have already secured video footage showing passengers boarding the vessel and are interviewing crew members as well as survivors, including persons who were on board but were not listed on the official passenger manifest.
According to the Vice President, authorities are seeking to establish how those unlisted passengers boarded the vessel and who authorised them to do so.
“There are going to be consequences for people who did this,” the Vice President affirmed.
Against this backdrop, he revealed that after the crew members were rescued and taken for medical treatment, blood samples were obtained as part of the investigation.
Two crew members subsequently tested positive for traces of marijuana and are now in police custody.
Authorities are also working to identify additional passengers whose names were absent from the manifest.
To support that effort, he told the gathering that the government has activated a hotline, encouraging relatives of persons believed to have been on board, but not listed among the passengers or survivors, to come forward with information.
Dr Jagdeo also updated the conference on President Dr Irfaan Ali’s response to the tragedy, noting that the Head of State had travelled to Region One, where he visited Port Kaituma and Mabaruma before proceeding to the Essequibo Coast to meet families awaiting news of their loved ones.
The Vice President said that because of the incident, the formal opening ceremony of the National Toshaos Conference had to be postponed until today, when the President is expected to deliver his address.
Jagdeo said he had already met with the Toshaos from the affected communities, some of whom had chosen to return home because of the tragedy.
As such, he assured them that they would not be excluded from the conference’s deliberations despite their absence.
The Vice President said the government would meet separately with the affected leaders to hear their concerns and ensure they remain fully involved in discussions on matters affecting their villages.
Acknowledging the somber atmosphere surrounding this year’s conference, Jagdeo urged the Toshaos to continue the important work of advancing development in their communities despite the difficult circumstances.
“It is a sad, sad moment in which we are meeting, but we have to continue even in these circumstances because you came out here to work with us to advance your villages and the people in your villages,” he said.
