The government is now saying that the families of persons still missing following the MV Barima tragedy will determine whether the ferry is raised from the seabed or left in place as a memorial site.
Prime Minister Mark Phillips made the disclosure at a press conference yesterday where he confirmed that the government had distributed a document asking relatives to indicate whether they wanted the wreck to remain undisturbed.
His statement came one day after he had said that the vessel was likely to remain on the seabed because of the dangerous conditions encountered by local and French divers.
Phillips also disclosed that the government had received several proposals from reputable international salvage companies. However, he twice declined to say whether an offer by Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed to finance and undertake the salvage was among those being considered.
Asked directly whether the government would accept Mohamed’s offer, Phillips said: “There are several offers being submitted to the government, several proposals for salvaging the vessel.”
He added that the wishes of the families were now the primary consideration.
“If there is any indication from the family that they prefer to have the area deemed a memorial site, then we go with that option,” he said.
He added, if the families wanted the vessel raised, the government would likely honour that request.
“You have two options there. As I said, you have offers to salvage the vessel, and then there is this whole issue about the area being deemed a memorial site and a memorial being constructed. But the families’ wishes are what is important now,” he said.
When pressed again on whether Mohamed’s proposal was among the offers being considered, Phillips did not acknowledge it. He instead referred to the suspension of diving operations and repeated that the wreck could either remain in place or be salvaged.
Phillips said the government had received proposals from international companies but did not identify any of them.
“Reputable salvage companies around the globe,” he said when asked about the source of the proposals.
The government’s position raises questions about whether the decision to salvage a vessel that is central to both a criminal prosecution and an impending Commission of Inquiry (CoI) should rest solely with grieving families.
Reporters questioned Phillips about the possibility that the wreck contained evidence which could help establish why the ferry sank.
The Prime Minister acknowledged that the vessel was believed to still contain the remains of some missing persons and said this was why the views of their families were important.
“We want to get to the truth, but we want to also honour the wishes of the family,” he said.
Phillips maintained that the CoI would proceed even if the vessel could not be raised.
“If we are unable to salvage the vessel, a Commission of Inquiry will still be done. That is the reality,” he said.
He added that information could be obtained from the ferry’s registration, capacity, maintenance and repair records, as well as from survivors and crew members.
However, the wreck itself could potentially provide physical evidence about its condition, engines, cargo and the circumstances in which it capsized.
Asked whether the government was attempting to hide anything by contemplating leaving the vessel underwater, Phillips replied: “Government has nothing to hide. I can tell you upfront. We have nothing to hide.”
The form
Phillips confirmed that the idea of designating the wreck as a memorial emerged from discussions between President Irfaan Ali and relatives of persons who remain missing.
He also acknowledged that the government had placed the proposal before families through a document now being circulated.
“You’re aware that there is a document out. If the family members sign saying that they want to go ahead with the salvage or they want to go with this memorial, we’ll have to honour their wishes,” he said.
Asked whether the government was trying to persuade relatives to support the memorial proposal, Phillips denied this.
“The government is not trying to convince anybody to say anything here,” he said.
The document, titled “Declaration of Agreement – MV Barima as Memorial Site”, asks relatives to agree that the ferry should remain undisturbed at its present resting place.
“We, the undersigned relatives and loved ones of those connected with the MV Barima, having reflected with solemn hearts upon this place of loss and remembrance, hereby express our concurrence and heartfelt wish that the vessel remain undisturbed in its present resting place,” it states.
It describes the waters where the ferry lies as a place of “enduring memory, reflection and reverence” and refers to the wreck as a sacred memorial.
The declaration also proposes the construction of a maritime monument at or overlooking the site, bearing the names of each victim.
Relatives are required to provide the name of the deceased, their own name, their relationship to the deceased, address, telephone number and signature.
The form does not explain its legal effect, whether a relative’s signature would prevent future salvage or how the government would proceed if families expressed opposing views. It also does not state whether relatives are being offered independent advice before signing.
The government has not addressed the inappropriateness of canvassing families like this while they are in deep distress.
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