HGP NIGHTLY NEWS: The department responsible for monitoring maritime communications from the Georgetown Lighthouse cannot actually see what is happening inside the Demerara channel and depends on vessels themselves to report incidents, the MV Barima Commission of Inquiry has heard.
The disclosure came from Lighthouse Attendant David Chisholm, who also testified that the department operated without formal Standard Operating Procedures, relying instead on on-the-job training and guidance from senior staff.
Chisholm, who joined the station in March 2025, explained that operations were conducted from the top floor of the Marriott Hotel in Kingston, where two-person teams worked 12-hour shifts monitoring calls and entering maritime information.
But when questioned about monitoring activity in the channel, Chisholm revealed that staff had no direct visual oversight of vessels operating there.
Instead, communication depended largely on VHF radio and WhatsApp, while captains were expected to report maritime incidents.
That limitation became significant on the night the MV Barima capsized.
Chisholm testified that he never received a direct VHF distress call from the Barima.
Instead, at approximately 11:01 p.m. on July 18, he received a WhatsApp message from the AIS tower containing information about the emergency.
He said he immediately forwarded the alert to his superior and Captain Flores, Head of the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre. Flores acknowledged the message at approximately 11:02 p.m.
Chisholm was later contacted by the Harbour Master and instructed to establish communication with the MV Barima.
He repeatedly called the vessel over the international distress frequency, Channel 16.
“MV Barima, Lighthouse,” Chisholm recalled calling.
There was no response.
As the emergency continued, additional digital distress alerts reached the station and were forwarded to the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre.
Evidence before the Commission also included automated Cospas-Sarsat EPIRB distress information transmitted through the MEOSAR satellite system, which provided updated positions as the emergency unfolded.
Chisholm remained on duty until his shift ended at 8:00 a.m. on July 19.
His testimony has now placed attention on the operational limitations of the Lighthouse Department, including its dependence on vessel communications, lack of direct visual monitoring of the channel and the absence of formal written SOPs.
