Barima salvage and COI

Oct 09, 2026 Editorial, News

(Kaieteur News) – It is two months since the MV Barima Commission of Inquiry (COI) was sworn in. It is almost two and a half months, since the boat itself capsized and blanketed Guyana in a horror that citizens are still trying to get an understanding. A crucial part of the work of the COI is related to the salvaging of the sunken boat and its cargo of dead, along with what other cargo it was carrying. In the manner of the COI, the salvaging process seems to be stuck at a standstill. When it did come to life with an award, Guyanese spirits died again.

President Irfaan Ali was his usual reassuring self. “The technical people are re-evaluating those bids so that the company can be selected to do the salvaging”, was what he shared during a meeting with the New York-based Guyana diaspora. Whatever “the technical people” were doing, they were taking too long, almost as if they have orders to drag their feet, been given official cover to take their time. Take as long as they can stretch their evaluation and re-evaluation out. This is record of the PPPC Government, now its own worst enemy, i.e., a group that cannot be trusted. Leadership promises have been made before; comforting words uttered at high levels. The outcomes have generally been opposite to what was promised, with that almost guaranteed to happen. Now there is the tender process for the salvaging of the MV Barima that has gone on too long. With each passing day, and nothing concluded relative to the salvaging, suspicions intensify that the government is up to no good. Again, the PPPC Government only has itself to blame, and now there is the salvage award.

However, when President Ali is on to something, citizens are left with nothing. They now must deal with the salvage award. “We are not hiding from salvaging; there is a process and that process is ongoing. We are not hiding from investigation.” That award shattered any confidence in what the president said. Not on the MV Barima tragedy alone, and its salvaging, as bad as that was, but on most things. Even a cursory review of recent PPPC Government history confirms that delaying has provided room to allow for troublesome areas to be fixed, with sloppy investigations resulting.

Recall the failed Amaila Falls hydro project and the millions spent for nothing. Recall the Mahdia Dormitory fire that claimed 20 lives, and not one official, political or public officer, held accountable. Revisit and scrutinize the repeatedly delayed Wales Gas-to-Energy project, and citizens tortured by endless rounds of blackouts from extended load shedding. These are just three instances extracted from a pattern, and almost immediately there is the now blindingly obvious. In taking the measure of the president’s words and postures, his unenviable leadership resume is conspicuous for its holes. Bigger and bigger promises, and little to show for them. Still, he persists with whatever game he is playing.

Since an unknown number of citizens, starting at around 100, met a horrible death in the MV Barima tragedy, the totally different was expected from the president, starting with the COI. The COI should already have been moving with a tank full of energy and bent on discovery of the facts. That has not happened, and is furthest from anywhere near to the facts. It came to life in a bad way, and now struggles to find its footing some two months later. This is a COI going nowhere, other than where the PPPC Government wants it to go and on what timetable. Little comfort is taken from President Ali’s New York statement, “I am not going to interfere in the work of the COI.” We have heard similar words before on different issues, only for secrecy to rule the day, and more disappointments taking hold. Pinpointing “I am not going to interfere…”, there is no need for him to engage in any such influence or pressure. That was quite neatly dealt with in the composition of the COI.

President Ali spoke. Families waited hopefully amid their loss. The salvage award wounds them. The COI going around in circles, barely moving. The same PPPC Government history continues.

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Barima salvage, Commission of Inquiry, Editorial, MV Barima

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