Guyana Coi into MV Barima to Start
Guyana’s Commission of Inquiry (COI) into the July 19 sinking of the MV Barima is expected to begin work on the ground in early September, President Irfaan Ali says. The COI will investigate the disaster that left dozens dead or missing while salvagers are being shortlisted and must preserve forensic evidence for the inquiry.
Guyana’s five-member Commission of Inquiry (COI) probing the July 19 sinking of the MV Barima will begin work on the ground in early September, President Irfaan Ali told a news conference. He said the inquiry team is already in place, finalising procedures and work plans ahead of the formal start.
The 87-year-old ferry went down on a Georgetown–Port Kaituma journey. Of an estimated 179 passengers and crew aboard, 72 bodies have been recovered, 76 people were rescued and about 30 remain unaccounted for. The captain, chief mate and the Transport and Harbours Department’s Goods Superintendent have since been charged with murder.
President Ali dismissed calls from opposition parties and civil society that certain ministers — including the minister responsible for public ferries, Juan Edghill, and the minister responsible for maritime administration, Deodat Indar — be removed from office while the probe proceeds. "I believe that if we honestly and fully want an independent analysis, a transparent analysis, then the COI, having been established, provides that opportunity," he said, adding "I will not prejudice any action." By a recent deadline, about 10 companies submitted proposals to salvage the wreck.
Officials say firms will be shortlisted and invited to provide cost estimates for raising the vessel; any salvager selected will be required to preserve all forensic evidence for the COI’s examination. The five-member commission includes international and regional experts: Justice Godfrey Philip Smith (Chair), Dr.
Andrzej Jasionowski (naval architect and marine engineer), Captain Hamada Fouda (maritime surveyor), Ms. Nyree Dawn Alfonso (maritime law specialist) and Rear Admiral (Ret’d) Hayden A. Pritchard (maritime operations and security). Their mandate will be to investigate causes, assess regulatory and operational failures, and make recommendations.
Why this matters to BVI residents: the Barima tragedy highlights the stakes of maritime safety in small island states that rely heavily on coastal and inter-island transport. Outcomes from a high-profile, independent COI may influence regional standards on vessel seaworthiness, passenger manifest procedures, emergency response and the handling of forensic evidence after a disaster.
Local authorities, operators and passengers should monitor the inquiry’s findings for lessons that could strengthen safety and oversight in the British Virgin Islands. Virgin Islands News Online reported on the president’s comments and the progress of the COI.
Primary source: VINO