By Javone Vickerie | HGP Nightly News|
GEORGETOWN, GUYANA — US-based Guyanese clinical psychotherapist Dr. Shane Tull has expressed grave concern over the decision to file 72 counts of murder against three senior crew members of the ill-fated M.V. Barima, warning that the move could compound national trauma and intensify public anger.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with Nightly News, Dr. Tull reacted with disbelief to the charges instituted against Captain Kevin Price, Chief Mate Rondell Dwayne Roberts, and Goods Superintendent Delon Granderson. He questioned how capital charges could be laid before broader technical investigations or the promised international Commission of Inquiry (COI) had established the full operational circumstances behind the tragedy.
Trauma, Perceived Scapegoating, and Institutional Failure
Dr. Tull highlighted that two of the accused men survived the catastrophic capsizing themselves, meaning they are likely already processing personal grief, acute fear, guilt, and severe psychological trauma:
- Risk of Secondary Trauma: Prosecuting frontline workers for capital murder while institutional oversight questions remain unanswered can deepen public cynicism and emotional distress.
- Perception of Scapegoating: If the Guyanese public comes to view lower-level employees as scapegoats meant to shield higher-level authorities or systemic regulatory failures within the Ministry of Public Works and MARAD, public trust will erode further.
- Compounding National Grief: Real, sustainable national healing requires evidence-based accountability that encompasses every level of responsibility—not just the most accessible frontline ranks.
[ PSYCHOSOCIAL IMPACT ON NATIONAL HEALING ]
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[ Perceived Scapegoating ] [ Path to National Healing ]
- Premature capital charges increase public anger - Evidence-based, transparent investigations
- Fuels perception of shielding higher authorities - Compassion for traumatized survivors & families
- Undermines institutional trust across society - Honest state acknowledgment of systemic failures
The Necessity of Truth for National Healing
Dr. Tull emphasized that while political and legal accountability is essential following a tragedy of this magnitude, it must be rooted in complete transparency and truth.
“Compassion is great… but attempting to charge these men in this manner before a full investigation is completed is beyond ludicrous,” Dr. Shane Tull stated. “If citizens believe the criminal process is being used to shield more powerful people, distrust and anger will intensify. Honest explanations and an acknowledgment of any state failures would do far more to ease public anger than defensive statements or premature conclusions.”
As parallel legal battles unfold in the courts and preparations continue for the international Commission of Inquiry chaired by Justice Godfrey Smith, mental health professionals are calling on state authorities to prioritize psychological support services for grieving families and affected riverine communities.
