-opposition criticise exclusion from process
With 73 persons dead and others missing, President Irfaan Ali yesterday announced that he will unveil a five-member “independent” international Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into the MV Barima tragedy today, drawing criticism from the joint opposition over their exclusion from the process.
Facing the most serious crisis in his six years as President, Ali yesterday said in a Facebook broadcast that the body will be empowered to determine whether negligence, misconduct or institutional failures contributed to the disaster and recommend accountability where warranted.
The President, who has come under pressure to dismiss Public Works Minister Juan Edghill over the tragedy, said the Commission will comprise “distinguished experts and professionals” with expertise in law, marine engineering, maritime safety and disaster investigation.
“In keeping with my commitment to establish an international and independent Commission of Enquiry into the circumstances surrounding the capsizing of the MV Barima and interrelated issues, I shall, tomorrow, the 26th of July, 2026, announce a five-member team to constitute that Commission,” Ali said.
He added that the commissioners were selected for their independence, technical expertise and proven ability, and would determine their own procedures and methods of work.
According to him, the inquiry will conduct a comprehensive and impartial investigation into the circumstances leading to the capsizing and sinking of the vessel, the emergency response, and all related matters. “It will seek to identify any shortcomings or failures, recommend appropriate accountability where warranted, and propose reforms that will strengthen the safety and reliability of Guyana’s maritime transportation system,” he said.
Mandate
Ali outlined an extensive mandate for the Commission, including examining the vessel’s loading, passenger boarding procedures, seaworthiness, maintenance history, compliance with maritime laws and safety standards, the conduct and competence of the captain and crew, passenger management, life-saving arrangements, and the impact of weather and sea conditions.
The Commission will also review the search, rescue and recovery operation, assessing the adequacy, coordination and effectiveness of the response by all agencies involved.
The President said the inquiry would have the authority to determine whether any acts of negligence, misconduct, dereliction of duty or institutional failures contributed to the tragedy and recommend legislative, regulatory, institutional or operational reforms aimed at preventing a recurrence. “As a nation, as a people, let us rise on this occasion together in love, unity, prayers, and faith,” Ali said, while appealing for continued support for the victims’ families and survivors.
The announcement came a day after Prime Minister Mark Phillips said the government had not yet decided whether it would accept a request by the Opposition to be consulted on the Commission’s terms of reference.
Responding to questions from Kiskadee Watch on Friday, Phillips said the request had not yet been discussed by the government. “I saw the opposition press conference. They requested to be consulted, to be involved. That’s a decision government will have to make,” Phillips said. “Government promised an independent Commission of Inquiry, and that’s a decision government will have to make.”
Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed yesterday pushed back at Ali’s decision.
“I noted the announcement of a Commission of Inquiry into the MV Barima tragedy. However, given the magnitude of this national tragedy, I am disappointed that neither I, as Leader of the Opposition, nor any parliamentary opposition party was consulted in the establishment of the Commission. In an effort to build national confidence, this should have been an inclusive and transparent process.
“If the government is serious about ensuring a truly independent investigation, then Ministers Juan Edghill and Deodat Indar, whose ministries have responsibility for MARAD and the Transport and Harbours Department (THD), should be recused from any involvement while the inquiry is ongoing. They should also be required to appear before the Commission and answer all relevant questions”, Mohamed stated.
He added that previous Commissions of Inquiry have been completed without their reports being made public.
“I hope this Commission operates independently, conducts its work transparently, and that its final report is released in full to the people of Guyana.
Finally, as a member of the International Maritime Organization, Guyana should seek the involvement of appropriate international maritime experts and institutions to support this investigation”, Mohamed asserted.
The People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) and A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) in a statement said that while any genuine effort to uncover the truth is welcome, the announcement fell far short of the level of accountability the Guyanese people deserve.
“Most troubling is the President’s refusal to place Minister of Public Works Juan Edghill and Minister of Public Utilities and Aviation, Deodat Indar on administrative leave pending the outcome of the inquiry. Both ministers have direct oversight responsibilities for the maritime sector. In any mature democracy, public officials with ministerial responsibility for a sector in which such a catastrophic failure has occurred would step aside to ensure public confidence in the investigative process. Their continued presence in office raises serious concerns about independence, transparency, and accountability”, the two opposition groups said.
Equally concerning, they said, is the President’s decision to move forward without any consultation with the parliamentary opposition, despite the Opposition being a major political stakeholder representing a substantial section of the Guyanese people. They added that reports indicate that the Commission’s membership was selected solely by the President, contrary to widespread calls from civil society and the opposition for an inclusive process.
“A Commission of Inquiry can only command public confidence if it is genuinely independent and seen to be free from political influence. Excluding the opposition from the process undermines that confidence from the outset and creates the unfortunate perception that this exercise is designed to manage public outrage rather than establish the full truth”, PNCR/APNU said.
They said that the families of those who lost loved ones, the survivors, and the nation deserve answers, not a process that appears predetermined or carefully controlled by the very administration whose agencies are now under scrutiny.
PNCR/APNU therefore reiterated its calls for:
a. The immediate administrative leave of Ministers Juan Edghill and Deodat Indar pending the conclusion of all investigations.
b. Meaningful consultation with the parliamentary opposition on the composition and terms of reference of the Commission of Inquiry.
c. A transparent investigation with full public disclosure of all relevant documents, maintenance records, inspection reports, and communications relating to the MV Barima.
d. Accountability at every level, regardless of political office or status.
The MV Barima capsized late on the night of July 18 while travelling from Georgetown to Port Kaituma, Region One. Although the original passenger manifest listed 133 people, investigators later confirmed that 179 passengers and crew were on board, exposing significant discrepancies in passenger records and prompting a criminal investigation.
The disaster triggered Guyana’s largest maritime search and recovery operation, involving the Guyana Defence Force, Coast Guard, private vessels, aircraft, local fishermen and international assistance from France, Brazil and Trinidad and Tobago. Authorities have since located the wreck on the seabed, where specialist divers continue recovery operations as police investigations into the tragedy proceed.
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