By Antonio Dey | HGP Nightlty News |
GEORGETOWN, GUYANA — More than one hundred days after the catastrophic sinking of the state-operated ferry MV Barima claimed over 70 lives off the Essequibo coast, grieving relatives of those who perished returned to Shiv Chanderpaul Drive outside the Office of the President, mounting persistent picketing demonstrations to demand accountability, institutional transparency, and the immediate salvage and recovery of the sunken vessel.
The demonstration reflected deep public dissatisfaction among affected families who argue that despite the passage of more than three months since the July 18, 2026 maritime disaster, critical questions surrounding the ferry’s structural integrity, cargo loading practices, and emergency response remain unanswered.
Carrying placards and portraits of deceased and missing loved ones, relatives insisted that leaving the ferry at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean compromises the pursuit of justice, asserting that forensic examination of the hull and cargo hold is essential to determine the definitive cause of the disaster.
Families Demand Recovery: ‘The Wreck Holds the Answers’
For the relatives gathered along the roadway outside the nation’s executive seat, the passage of time has done little to soothe their loss:
- Forensic Necessity: Relatives maintain that recovering the physical vessel is critical to establishing whether structural hull failure, severe overloading, or improper mechanical maintenance caused the ferry to capsize off the Pomeroon coast near Iron Punt.
- Unrecovered Remains: Family members highlighted that retrieving the vessel remains deeply personal, as several bodies of missing victims are believed to remain trapped within lower cabins and submerged compartments.
- Voice of the Grieving: Among those on the picket line was Jasmine Cort, daughter and niece of victims Neil and Kenrick Cort, alongside Brian Thomas, father of the late Brian Thomas Jr., both expressing frustration over state delays and lack of direct communication with affected families.
“We want the vessel brought to the surface. It cannot simply be left at the bottom of the ocean while we are left without closure and without answers.” — Family Picket Representative
Civic and Political Outcry: Activists and Opposition Join Demonstration
The continued demonstrations outside the Office of the President have garnered broad support from Indigenous rights advocates, civil society groups, and parliamentary opposition figures:
- Indigenous Advocacy: Amerindian rights activist Laura George joined the picket line, pointing out that the MV Barima was a lifeline for predominantly Indigenous communities traveling between Georgetown and Region One (Barima-Waini). She criticized what she described as institutional neglect and a sluggish official response toward hinterland travelers.
- Parliamentary Criticism: Member of Parliament for We Invest in Nationhood (WIN), Tabitha Sarabo-Halley, along with former Member of Parliament and former Junior Minister of Public Infrastructure, Annette Ferguson, called on the administration to end administrative foot-dragging, demanding that resources be deployed immediately to retrieve the hull and preserve vital physical evidence.
Commission of Inquiry Adjourned to November 10
The ongoing street actions take place against the backdrop of the presidential Commission of Inquiry (COI), which formally commenced its public hearings on October 14, 2026:
- Scope of the Probe: The COI was empaneled to investigate all aspects of the maritime tragedy—including the 87-year-old vessel’s seaworthiness, operational oversight by the Transport and Harbours Department (T&HD), cargo manifests, weather warnings, and the adequacy of search-and-rescue operations.
- Current Status: After taking initial evidence and sworn statements from regulatory personnel and maritime witnesses, the Commission adjourned its public sittings to November 10, 2026.
- Families’ Call for Transparency: Relatives and their legal representatives stressed that the COI’s findings will remain incomplete unless technical salvage divers and naval surveyors are allowed to examine the submerged hull first-hand.
As the November 10 resumption date approaches, the families of the victims have reaffirmed their intention to maintain their public vigils and picketing exercises until the Government of Guyana provides definitive commitments regarding the salvage of the MV Barima and accountability for those who perished.
