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Dismantled safeguards left MV Barima vulnerable – Patterson
…as death toll rises to 72
(Kaieteur News) – Former Minister of Public Infrastructure and Alliance for Change (AFC) Leader David Patterson has accused the Peoples Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) government of removing critical oversight mechanisms that once helped curb illegal ferry practices, leaving the MV Barima without adequate safeguards ahead of the tragedy that has now claimed at least 72 lives.
Speaking at a joint opposition press conference on Wednesday, Patterson said the government dismantled inspection systems that had been in place under the previous APNU+AFC administration, without introducing a replacement capable of providing equivalent oversight. As of Thursday, 72 bodies had been recovered and approximately 76 people rescued, with dozens still unaccounted for.
Former Minister of Public Infrastructure and current Leader of the Alliance for Change (AFC), David Patterson
Patterson said the issue of passengers travelling without official tickets, whether through collusion with crew or otherwise is not new. Between 2015 and 2020, he said, independent inspectors were hired directly by the Ministry of Public Infrastructure to verify that passengers, cargo, fuel and related operational matters were properly documented.
That inspection team was later disbanded, Patterson said, and to his knowledge was never replaced with a mechanism offering similar oversight. “Had such a system remained in place, it may have helped prevent unsafe loading practices and other operational failures,” he said, adding that ticketing, passenger control, cargo management and vessel loading all require urgent attention to ensure safe public transportation.
The MV Barima has a passenger capacity of 150 and a cargo capacity of roughly 290 metric tons. Given its age, Patterson said, the vessel’s upkeep had long since ceased to be a routine administrative matter and become one of public safety.
From the 1990s until 2020, he said, repairs were handled by established contractors, including the Guyana National Industrial Company (GNIC) and Courtney Benn Contracting Services, arrangements that gave the ageing vessel access to specialist fabrication, parts and technical expertise, since several structural components had to be custom-built overseas.
Patterson said those arrangements broke down after the change in administration: Courtney Benn’s contracts were withdrawn, forcing the company into liquidation, while GNIC ceased operations after its dockyard was repossessed. Servicing of the MV Barima was subsequently handed to a company whose primary business was fishing.
“Let me be clear: this is not a personal attack on any contractor,” Patterson said. “The real issue is whether the critical link to specialist fabrication, replacement parts, and proven maintenance systems for a vessel of this age was broken. That question must be examined carefully by independent maritime experts.”
According to Patterson, the MV Barima underwent a comprehensive rehabilitation after docking in November 2015, including new engines, new shafts, hull repairs, and upgrades to cargo and passenger areas, returning to service in March 2017. Records show the vessel completed its required maintenance cycles between 2017 and 2020 and was certified seaworthy throughout that period.
Patterson said, officials at the time recognised the vessel’s remaining lifespan was limited, prompting the previous administration to advance designs, through a grant and loan arrangement with the Government of India, for a new vessel to serve the North West route.
Patterson is calling for a full, independent examination of the MV Barima’s maintenance, inspection, dry-docking and certification records under Guyana’s maritime laws. He also urged that every passenger vessel in the national fleet be inspected for seaworthiness and route suitability, alongside the modernisation of docking facilities, a secure ticketing system, and a credible programme to replace ageing vessels with a modern fleet and upgraded terminals.
“This is not only about one vessel, it’s about public safety, accountability, and the right of citizens in riverain and hinterland communities to travel with confidence,” Patterson said, adding that they deserve both answers and a transportation system that is safe, reliable, modern and properly managed.
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It is always the same everywhere.you have a disaster it is always the fault of the present administration, the previous administration always put the blame on the present.