FGM concerned about sloth in Barima COI

Sep 02, 2026 News

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(Kaieteur News) – Thirty-three days have elapsed since the Commission of Inquiry into the MV Barima disaster was formally constituted and its members sworn in on July 30, 2026. Yet, no public hearing has been scheduled, no witnesses have been called, and no notice has been issued to the public.

The state-owned, 87-year-old ferry capsized and sank off Guyana’s coast near Iron Punt and the Pomeroon River on July 18, 2026, claiming 73 confirmed lives, with approximately 30 passengers still missing.

In a press statement issued Tuesday, September 1, the Forward Guyana Movement called out the complete lack of momentum, noting that more than half of the commission’s original two-month reporting deadline has already expired. Under its establishing instrument, the commission is mandated to submit its final report by October unless an extension is granted by the president.

According to updates provided by Commission Secretary Javed Shadick, no commencement date has been fixed, overseas-based commissioners have not indicated when they will arrive in the country, and the venue remains undisclosed. Shadick previously noted on August 10 and 13 that the panel’s work remained “foundational,” that the legal framework was still under review, and that no witnesses had been approached. Across three separate public statements, the commission has failed to identify a single witness interviewed, a document secured, or a substantive investigative milestone achieved.

The 2020 General and Regional Elections Commission of Inquiry, which shared both its Chairman, Justice Godfrey Phillip Smith, and its Secretary, Javed Shadick, had its secretariat ready and issued a public call for witnesses within 35 days of being constituted. Public hearings commenced by day 51, ultimately examining 26 witnesses.

“Both officials know how to move a commission from appointment to public evidence. They have done it before,” the Forward Guyana Movement stated. “The question is why the machinery that moved promptly for an inquiry into an election has been allowed to idle following the deadliest maritime disaster in Guyana’s history.”

The party emphasised that physical presence in Guyana is not a prerequisite for progress, as the commission’s mandate explicitly permits virtual and hybrid proceedings, with any three commissioners constituting a quorum. Furthermore, the panel possesses immediate powers to summon manifests, maintenance records, inspection certificates, and search-and-rescue logs, as well as authority to issue interim safety recommendations to prevent another disaster.

“The requirement that a safety investigation begin as soon as reasonably practicable, is not about administrative speed for its own sake. It exists because the condition that caused one catastrophe may still exist and may cause another,” the movement warned, urging the panel to issue immediate public notices and call witnesses. “The purpose of investigating this catastrophe is not only to explain how people die. It is to prevent more people from dying.”

The party further called on the President and Prime Minister to clarify whether a separate, independent marine safety investigation has been launched in accordance with the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Casualty Investigation Code.

The fallout surrounding the inquiry arrives alongside mounting anger over the government’s handling of the physical recovery of the vessel. Fifteen days after the August 15 deadline passed for Expressions of Interest (EOI) to salvage the sunken ferry, the administration faces criticism for maintaining total silence regarding the procurement process.

Opposition Member of Parliament Ganesh Mahipaul issued a critique on August 30, calling out the administration’s continued failure to release basic details despite executive promises that “no stone will be left unturned.”

Mahipaul revealed that formal correspondence sent to the Minister responsible for Public Works and Aviation requesting details on the salvage schedule has gone completely unanswered. Authorities have refused to clarify how many companies submitted bids, whether a contractor has been shortlisted, or when physical recovery efforts will begin at the wreck site.

“This is not an ordinary procurement exercise,” Mahipaul stated, emphasizing that the persistent lack of transparency disrespects the memory of the victims, prolongs the distress of grieving families, and amounts to unacceptable administrative neglect.

Ministry of Public Works and government officials have yet to respond to Mahipaul’s inquiry or disclose when details regarding the salvage contract will be made public.

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• Barima CoI, Commission of Inquiry, FGM, MV Barima

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