MV BARIMA INQUIRY INSPECTS PORT OPERATIONS AHEAD OF OCTOBER 14 PUBLIC HEARINGS

GEORGETOWN, GUYANA | October 8, 2026 — The five-member Commission of Inquiry (COI) investigating the July 18 MV Barima tragedy has intensified its preliminary evidence-gathering efforts, conducting inspections of maritime facilities and a passenger ferry ahead of public hearings scheduled to begin on October 14.

According to the Department of Public Information (DPI), the commissioners visited the Transport and Harbours Department (T&HD) wharf at Water Street, Kingston, on Thursday, examining operational areas, including the bond, weighing scale, security camera facilities and relevant records.

The inspection was facilitated by T&HD General Manager Yurlander Hughes.

Commissioners also boarded the MV Ma Lisha, which operates between Georgetown and Port Kaituma, to gain a better understanding of passenger ferry operations and procedures.

Later, the team visited the Maritime Administration Department (MARAD), where members held a private meeting with Director General Captain Stephen Thomas.

The inspections form part of the commission’s preparations to examine the circumstances surrounding the sinking of the MV Barima, including maritime operations and procedures relevant to the investigation.

More than 100 individuals are expected to provide oral testimony when hearings commence at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre on October 14.

The inquiry is chaired by Justice Godfrey Phillip Smith, who has indicated that the investigation is expected to take approximately six months before a final report is submitted to President Irfaan Ali.

The other commissioners are Captain Hamada Fouda, a Jamaican maritime surveyor and compliance auditor; Nyree Dawn Alfonso, a Trinidad and Tobago attorney specializing in maritime law; Dr Andrzej Jasionowski, a Polish naval architect and marine engineer; and retired Rear Admiral Hayden Pritchard, a former Chief of Defence Staff of the Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force.

President Ali announced the inquiry one week after the July 18 tragedy, and the commission was formally sworn in on July 30.

As the October 14 hearings approach, attention will turn to the testimony, evidence and findings that could help establish what happened, identify any operational or regulatory failures, and provide answers to families affected by the maritime disaster.