HGP Nightly News – The decision to charge three men connected to the MV Barima with murder could deepen public anger and compound the trauma suffered by their families, clinical psychotherapist Shane Tull has warned.
Tull learned of the charges during an interview and reacted with disbelief, questioning how such a serious prosecution could be initiated before the broader investigation had established the complete circumstances of the disaster.
“Compassion is great, but accountability is imperative,” he said. “For us to heal, we have to really know what happened.”
Captain Kevin Price, Chief Mate Rondell Dwayne Roberts and Goods Superintendent Delon Granderson were charged with murder and remanded to prison.
Tull said the accused men were themselves exposed to the disaster and could already be dealing with grief, fear, guilt or other forms of trauma.
Being arrested, publicly accused of murder and separated from their families created another layer of distress, he said.
“They’re being doubly traumatised and victimised,” Tull argued.
His comments concerned the psychological and social consequences of the prosecution.
Tull nevertheless questioned whether investigators had first reconstructed the vessel’s loading, maintenance, regulatory history and final moments.
“Arresting and charging three people without a thorough investigation is beyond ludicrous,” he said.
The prosecution has not yet publicly detailed the evidence supporting the murder charges.
He called for the evidence supporting the charges to be placed before the court and tested openly.
“What do you have to charge these people on?” he asked. “Let’s see the evidence.”
Tull said accountability was necessary for national healing, but it had to be evidence-based and extend beyond the most accessible individuals.
Investigators must examine the people responsible for maintenance, certification, passenger registration, cargo loading, regulatory oversight and emergency preparedness, he argued.
The psychological cost of perceived injustice could spread beyond the defendants’ families, Tull warned. If citizens believe the criminal process is being used to shield more powerful people, distrust and anger may intensify.
He also linked the prosecution to the wider mental-health consequences of the disaster.
“You cannot talk about mental health without talking about social justice and people’s rights,” he said.
Tull argued that honest explanations and an acknowledgment of any state failures would do more to ease public anger than defensive statements or premature conclusions.
The criminal case will determine whether the evidence supports the murder allegations. The Commission of Inquiry will separately investigate the broader technical and institutional circumstances.
For Tull, national healing will require both compassion and accountability, but neither can be credible without truth.
