THE Private Sector Commission of Guyana Ltd. (PSC), together with the Women’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry Guyana (WCCIG) and the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI), has launched a grief counselling and psychosocial support initiative to complement the Government of Guyana’s response to the MV Barima tragedy, supporting affected families, survivors, and first responders.
According to a press release from the PSC, the initiative is intended to reinforce the national response led by the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security (MHSS) under President Dr Irfaan Ali’s HEART initiative.
Recognising the scale and continuing impact of the tragedy, the private sector is stepping forward to add capacity, expertise, and resources in support of the government’s efforts.
The effort is being led by a PSC working group, headed by members of the commission’s executive leadership, WCCIG President Josephine Tapp-Rutherford and GCCI President Kathy Smith, with planning support from Marva Langevine and a team of specialists.
The group is working in ongoing consultation with the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security to ensure that the private sector response is aligned with national priorities.
Working closely with government counterparts, the initiative is focused on: extending grief and trauma counselling support to affected families across communities; and supporting first responders, including divers, maritime personnel, members of the Guyana Police Force and Guyana Defence Force, health workers, and volunteers, through trauma-informed care.
It also entails promoting respectful and sensitive engagement by the public and media with grieving families, with support from volunteer students, graduands, and staff; and exploring additional ways the private sector can assist in easing the burden on affected households.
The PSC recognised that the needs of affected families and communities will continue to evolve and remains committed to working alongside the government and other stakeholders to identify where additional support, resources, and expertise can make a meaningful difference.
Further details on the rollout will be shared as plans are finalised in coordination with the national response teams.
The PSC welcomed private sector entities, professionals, and volunteers with relevant expertise to join this collective effort.