APNU Member of Parliament Ganesh Mahipaul is questioning the Government’s decision not to publicly disclose the names of companies that submitted bids to salvage the sunken MV Barima and the amounts they offered.
Mahipaul said the Government had opted for an open tendering process for the salvage operation, and argued that under Guyana’s Procurement Act, the names of bidders and their bid amounts should be made public once the tendering period closes.
The tendering process closed on August 14, 2026, but Mahipaul said the names of the companies and their respective bids had not yet been released. He acknowledged that the bids must now undergo an evaluation process and that the most responsive bidder is expected to be selected for the contract. However, he questioned why the identities of the bidders and the amounts submitted had not been disclosed.
Mahipaul is calling on the Maritime Administration Department (MARAD) and the Ministry of Public Utilities and Aviation to explain the apparent delay in releasing the information. He questioned whether the Government had withheld the information despite the requirement for transparency in an open tendering process. These bids should be made available by the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board.
Mahipaul said transparency in the procurement process for the vessel’s salvage is particularly important given the public interest surrounding the wreck and the Government’s handling of the recovery operation.
The MV Barima, a state-operated passenger and cargo vessel serving communities along Guyana’s northwest route, sank on July 18, 2026, while travelling from Georgetown to Port Kaituma. The vessel capsized off Guyana’s coast after issuing a distress call late that night, triggering a large-scale search-and-rescue operation.
Seventy-six persons were rescued, while 73 deaths have so far been confirmed and about 30 people remain unaccounted for, according to the latest figures reported by authorities.
The sinking prompted questions about the vessel’s condition, passenger and cargo loading, safety procedures, crew conduct, the accuracy of passenger manifests and the adequacy of Guyana’s maritime regulatory and emergency-response systems. Survivors also raised concerns about overcrowding and water entering the vessel.
President Irfaan Ali subsequently established an international Commission of Inquiry to investigate the tragedy. The five-member commission is chaired by Belizean Justice Godfrey Phillip Smith and includes maritime and legal experts from Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago and Poland. Attorney Javed Shadick is serving as secretary to the commission.
Shadick told Kiskadee Watch yesterday that he expected the notice of commencement of the COI to be issued over the weekend, indicating that its formal commencement is imminent.
The Commission’s terms of reference require it to determine the immediate, direct and indirect causes and contributing factors behind the capsizing and sinking. It is also empowered to examine passenger embarkation and manifests, possible overcrowding, cargo storage, life-saving equipment, safety requirements, the vessel’s condition and maintenance history, navigation and communication equipment, and any negligence, misconduct or other failures that may have contributed to the disaster.
The Commission is also expected to make recommendations aimed at preventing a similar disaster and strengthening Guyana’s maritime safety framework.
As of August 14, the Commission was finalising the legal and administrative arrangements required for its public hearings. Its secretary said the public and media would be formally notified once those arrangements were completed.
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