Guyana MV Barima inquiry pauses hearings until November 10
Members of the Presidential Commission of Inquiry (COI) into the MV Barima during the seventh day of public hearings at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC)
Key Points(5)
- The presidential commission investigating the July 18 capsizing of Guyana’s state-owned ferry MV Barima has paused oral hearings for two weeks to allow investigators to gather additional evidence and witness statements, particularly from survivors.
- Hearings are scheduled to resume on Tuesday, November 10, following the break, which comes after the commission’s seventh day of public hearings at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre.
- Commission Chair Justice Godfrey Phillip Smith of Belize said the secretariat would use the pause to visit survivors in their communities to collect statements in settings where they might feel more comfortable.
- Smith stressed that the suspension of oral hearings does not mean the investigation has stopped.
- “The fact that we pause oral hearings does not mean that the work of the commission comes to a standstill.
The presidential commission investigating the July 18 capsizing of Guyana’s state-owned ferry MV Barima has paused oral hearings for two weeks to allow investigators to gather additional evidence and witness statements, particularly from survivors.
Hearings are scheduled to resume on Tuesday, November 10, following the break, which comes after the commission’s seventh day of public hearings at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre.
Commission Chair Justice Godfrey Phillip Smith of Belize said the secretariat would use the pause to visit survivors in their communities to collect statements in settings where they might feel more comfortable.
Smith stressed that the suspension of oral hearings does not mean the investigation has stopped.
“The fact that we pause oral hearings does not mean that the work of the commission comes to a standstill. The hearing of oral evidence is only one part of our work,” he said.
The commission has heard testimony from 33 witnesses, including first responders from the Guyana Defence Force Coast Guard and Air Corps. Officials from the Maritime Administration Department and the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority have also testified.
According to Smith, the testimony was accompanied by extensive documentation that commissioners must now review and process.
He described the volume of documents as “at least one foot in height, if not more.”
“We wish to assure those present and members of the public that notwithstanding the pause in oral testimony, the work of the commission will continue apace,” Smith said.
The commission said the secretariat would inform the media and the public of any changes or developments.
The inquiry is examining the circumstances surrounding the capsizing of the MV Barima on July 18, 2026, while the ferry was travelling from Georgetown to Port Kaituma.
Its terms of reference include determining the cause of the incident, examining whether maritime laws and regulations were followed, and assessing the search and rescue operation.
