– groundwork to begin in early September
– says gov’t remains committed to providing long-term support to those affected
PRESIDENT Dr Irfaan Ali told reporters on Tuesday that an independent Commission of Inquiry (COI) into the MV Barima tragedy will determine any subsequent action by his administration.
The President stressed the need to allow the COI to carry out a “thorough, transparent and impartial” investigation and said he would not prejudice its work.
He added that the COI is finalising its procedures and is expected to begin its on-the-ground work in early September.
He further assured families affected by the MV Barima tragedy that the Government’s priority is their welfare.
He noted that the State has established the Heart Initiative, a long-term, multi-stakeholder programme to provide medical, mental health, spiritual and financial support to those who lost loved ones and survivors.
“The priority for the Government is to ensure that we work closely with the families in relation to the MV Barima. When I say families here, I’m not only speaking of families who would have lost loved ones; families here where persons are still missing, families that were working on the vessel,” he said during a press conference.
He added that an outreach plan is being rolled out to create regional support hubs across the country.
“The priority is to ensure, especially where children, women, parents are involved, to ensure that we have close connection from the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Human Services with those families,” he said, adding that the Heart Initiative had been established as a long-term, multi-stakeholder programme.
Dr Ali also outlined progress on the salvage of the vessel, noting that expressions of interest for the operation have closed and applicants are being shortlisted ahead of price submissions. He did not give a precise number of expressions of interest received but indicated that there were several.
The Maritime Administration Department (MARAD), under the Ministry of Public Utilities and Aviation, had earlier this month invited qualified marine salvage contractors to submit Expressions of Interest (EOIs) for the recovery of the wrecked passenger and cargo ferry MV Barima.
The MV Barima sank on the night of July 18 while en route from Georgetown to Port Kaituma with an estimated 179 passengers and 17 crew members on board. The vessel capsized in rough seas off the Essequibo coast, triggering the largest maritime search and recovery operation in Guyana’s history.
The tragedy claimed 73 lives, while 76 people were rescued and 30 remain missing.
When pressed about calls for ministerial suspensions or removals, the President declined to speculate, reiterating that he would not prejudice the COI’s work and would respond to its recommendations in due course.
He said only essential measures to ensure immediate safety would be maintained until the inquiry has outlined its findings.
Last month, the five-member commission was formally sworn in at State House, with Chairman and former Belizean Justice of Appeal Justice Godfrey Phillip Smith taking the oath of office virtually.
The remaining commissioners—Jamaican maritime surveyor Captain Hamada Fouda; Trinidad and Tobago attorney Nyree Dawn Alfonso; Polish naval architect and marine engineer Dr Andrzej Jasionowski; and retired Trinidad and Tobago Rear Admiral Hayden Pritchard—were sworn in in person.
Collectively, the panel brings regional and international expertise in law, maritime operations, engineering and disaster investigation.
