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The biggest lost
(Kaieteur News) – The sinking of the MV Barima in the Pomeroon is shaping up to be one of Guyana’s biggest disasters yet. In terms of the final human loss, this capsised boat could rank in the upper tiers of disasters for this country. The outlook is grim, and with each passing hour the chances that more will be rescued grow slimmer. It is a time for calm heads to prevail, with any assistance that can be given to search-and-rescue teams extended. We are sure that we at this paper will have more to say on this disaster, and it may not be what pleases many.
Citizens are slowly absorbing, facing up to the reality, that dozens of their fellow citizens on the MV Barima could be lost forever. That not many might be found when the time comes for the search to be called off. In itself, a decision like that is always a painful one, that leaves room for official second guessing at the individual level: was the search-and-save exercise called off a day too early? Is there one passenger or crew member still out there, drifting far off course, hanging on for dear life, and hoping against hope? That he or she will be spotted. That he or she will get a second lease on life. These are questions not easily answered.
Continuing a little longer with second guessing, in this instance from an angry public, how would that shape up in the days to come? It was only a matter of hours and already Guyanese from different walks of life were at it, having their say, and not mincing any words. Many harsh words have been aimed at the PPPC Government, and they seem to have some basis. At present, we urge restraint, as there is a feverish effort ongoing to locate survivors in a vast stretch of water. Water that can be so rough that rescue work is slowed down, with much precious time lost. In circumstances such as these, every minute counts, could mean the difference in a citizen saved, or one that is lost forever.
In recent times, we have had to roll with some hard punches, deal with loss of life that hit harder. In December 2023, five of this country’s soldiers perished in a helicopter crash, with a couple more injured. A period of heavy mourning followed, with clear answers still proving to be elusive years later. In May 2023, a raging fire broke out in the secondary school dormitory and trapped the occupants in a death grip. There were 20 young victims in that Mahdia school dorm inferno. It was what seemed to be an avoidable tragedy. While that was dissected left, right, and center from the rafters to the roadside, Guyana endured another season of mourning. Blaming does not return a single victim back to life. But postmortems are of inestimable value in these situations where lives are lost, and the blood of victims cry out for relief.
It is now slightly over two and a half years since the last tragedy, the army helicopter crash, and there is the MV Barima development. A disaster under any consideration, another national tragedy that needs the knitting of proper grieving. At the time of this writing, it is about 12 hours since disaster struck that boat. Reports are of 67 persons rescued. Considering the time that has elapsed, the probability seems remoter with each passing hour for more than a survivor or two plucked out of the sea here and there. Another extended period of national mourning now appears almost inevitable.
A nation as youthful as Guyana does not have the maturity to take these constant blows. The Guyanese psyche is getting hit too hard too often. Guyana has not been through the wars that would help it to be ready to face these tests, handle these tragedies. Neither the strength nor depth is present. Condemning those who failed to do the best for the citizens of Region One will have its time and place. Now is the time to count the losses of families. The time for dirges to rent the air. The time to bury Guyana’s dead. The rest will come later.
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