Guyana swears in commission to investigate deadly MV Barima sinking
Key Points(5)
- Guyana has formally sworn in the five members of the Commission of Inquiry (COI) tasked with investigating the sinking of the MV Barima, a disaster that claimed more than 70 lives and left dozens still missing.
- Four commissioners took the oath of office Thursday at State House, while the commission’s chairman, Belizean Justice Godfrey Phillip Smith, was sworn in virtually.
- Chief Magistrate Judy Latchman administered the oath.
- The swearing-in ceremony was not open to the media but was streamed on President Irfaan Ali’s social media platforms.
- The commission includes maritime experts and legal professionals from the Caribbean and beyond.
Guyana has formally sworn in the five members of the Commission of Inquiry (COI) tasked with investigating the sinking of the MV Barima, a disaster that claimed more than 70 lives and left dozens still missing.
Four commissioners took the oath of office Thursday at State House, while the commission’s chairman, Belizean Justice Godfrey Phillip Smith, was sworn in virtually. Chief Magistrate Judy Latchman administered the oath.
The swearing-in ceremony was not open to the media but was streamed on President Irfaan Ali’s social media platforms.
The commission includes maritime experts and legal professionals from the Caribbean and beyond. In addition to Justice Smith, the members are Dr. Andrzej Jasionowski of Poland, a naval architect and marine engineer who has advised on investigations into major maritime disasters; Captain Hamada Fouda, a senior maritime surveyor and compliance auditor with the Maritime Authority of Jamaica; Nyree Dawn Alfonso of Trinidad and Tobago, an attorney-at-law specializing in admiralty and maritime law; and retired Rear Admiral Hayden Pritchard of Trinidad and Tobago, a maritime professional with extensive experience in maritime operations and security.
The commission has been tasked with examining the circumstances surrounding the ferry disaster, including the cause of the sinking, compliance with maritime laws and operational standards, the effectiveness of search, rescue and recovery efforts, and any failures or shortcomings that may have contributed to the tragedy.
President Irfaan Ali described the commissioners as individuals of "exceptional professional standing" and said the inquiry is necessary to establish the facts surrounding the disaster.
“Even as we continue to mourn those who loss their lives and stand in solidarity with the survivors and their loved ones, we have an equal solemn duty to establish the truth. Our nation deserves a full, fair and impartial account of what occurred, why it occurred and what must be done to ensure that such a tragedy is never repeated,” Ali said.
The commission is also expected to make recommendations aimed at strengthening safety standards within Guyana’s maritime sector.
“The nation awaits such report, the families would have suffered unimaginable loss await these answers. Future generations deserve the assurance that every lesson that can be learned from this tragedy will indeed be learned,” the government said.
While the opposition has welcomed the establishment of the inquiry, it has raised concerns about the selection process for commissioners and the terms of reference. Opposition figures have also questioned whether some members of the commission have links to officials in the current administration.
The MV Barima sank off the Essequibo Coast two Saturdays ago while traveling from Georgetown to Port Kaituma. More than 70 people died in the disaster, while about 30 others remain missing.
A total of 76 people were rescued, including the vessel’s captain, who was recently charged along with two others on 72 counts of murder in connection with the deaths
