FAMILY members, friends and well-wishers gathered at the Wesleyan Church in New Amsterdam on Wednesday to bid a final farewell to Paul Ian Seepersaud, one of the victims of the tragic MV Barima incident, as they remembered his life and mourned his passing.
During the funeral service, Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha, extended condolences on behalf of President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali, the Government and people of Guyana, and on his own behalf, assuring the bereaved family that they would not face their grief alone.
Minister Mustapha acknowledged that while the days ahead would be difficult, the family had the support of the nation during their period of mourning.
“Every Guyanese who heard of the MV Barima tragedy felt a deep sense of shock and sadness. Every prayer that was offered, every tear that was shed, and every message of sympathy reflected one simple truth, that Paul and every life lost in this tragedy mattered,” Minister Mustapha said.
“They were not just names in the news. They were our brothers, our sisters, our sons, our daughters, our friends. They were members of our national family,” he added.
The Minister said the loss of Seepersaud and the other victims of the MV Barima tragedy had touched citizens across the country, with many joining in prayer and expressing solidarity with the affected families.
He encouraged the family to draw strength from the support being offered by the wider Guyanese community and reiterated the Government’s commitment to standing with those affected by the tragedy.
Minister Mustapha was accompanied at the service by Minister of Natural Resources, Vickram Bharrat, Member of Parliament, Zamal Hussain and Regional Chairman, Junior Basant.
The funeral service formed part of the continuing national mourning following the MV Barima incident which claimed the lives of several passengers and crew members and left families across the country grieving the loss of their loved ones.