EVERY family affected by the MV Barima tragedy has been assigned a social worker to provide psychosocial support to survivors and grieving relatives, as the government continues search and recovery efforts.

Senior Probation and Social Services Officer Sharon Wright said the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security has mobilised psychologists and social workers to communities across Region One, including Mabaruma, Port Kaituma and surrounding villages, to provide counselling and emotional support.

“We ask them vital questions like, who else can we make contact with. We are finding out location. When we get those information, we are sending out our psychologists. They are going into the field to those homes,” she explained.

In addition to counselling, the ministry has distributed care packages and hampers to affected families.

“We are working around the clock. So when one staff goes, another staff comes,” she said.

Wright acknowledged that grief affects everyone differently and stressed that families are not being pressured to speak before they are ready.

Instead, psychologists remain available to offer reassurance and companionship until individuals feel comfortable seeking help.

She added that affected families can access support through the ministry’s hotline, or by contacting regional officials, including the Regional Executive Officer and Regional Chairman, who will coordinate with the ministry’s response teams.

The senior social services officer said the priority is to ensure that no family faces the aftermath of the tragedy alone, with psychological support remaining available for as long as it is needed. [DPI]