Last Updated on Tuesday, 6 October 2026, 18:01 by Written By Denis Chabrol
More than 100 witnesses are slated to testify before the five-member Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into the July 18 MV Barima tragedy that claimed lives of numerous passengers and crew members but there is no word on whether the two ministers responsible for the maritime sector would be among them.
Secretary to the Commission Javed Shadick said Tuesday that sittings would begin next week Wednesday at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre at Liliendaal, Greater Georgetown.
He said a report of the findings and recommendations could become available in six months.
Briefing the media, he could not immediately say whether minister of public works Juan Edghill, who is responsible for the Transport and Harbours Department, and minister of public utilities Deodat Indar, who is responsible for the regulatory Maritime Administration (MARAD), would be among the more than 100 witnesses to be processed for the probe into why the vessel sank en route from Georgetown to Port Kaituma with 179 passengers aboard.
“I won’t comment on that now,” Mr Shadick told a press briefing.
He explained that “the commission of inquiry is open for anybody who has knowledge to come so, that’s why I said I cannot say about the first question if the ministers will be coming so that’s why I can’t say. That is why I said I won’t comment on that now.”
Though the commission intends to process the more than 100 witnesses, he said so far only one person had contacted the CoI secretariat stating an intention to step forward.
Mr Shadick, who has been the secretary to several commissions of inquiry, also could not say whether the captain, first mate, and goods superintendent of the T&HD would be asked to appear before the commission. He later pointed out that Guyana’s Constitution prohibits self-incrimination.
A magistrate is expected to later this month rule on whether due process had been followed before the murder charge was instituted.
Those charged with the murder of 76 persons are the captain, Kevin Price called “KP”, 40, of Melanie Damishana, East Coast Demerara; the chief mate, Rondell Dwayne Roberts, 42, of Grove Public Road, East Bank Demerara, and the goods superintendent, Delon Granderson, 33, of Fellowship, West Coast Demerara.
The Commission of Inquiry would be formally opened tomorrow.
He said lawyers and interpreters would be provided to aid the witnesses, many of whom are from the north-west district areas of Mabaruma and Port Kaituma.
However, he could not immediately say whether the commission would be conducting public hearings at those locations.
He said much would depend on meetings that the commissioners would be having with residents in those communities.
“As the commission works, they will make a determination as to whether they will go to those communities. It all depends on how many persons actually want to give evidence. So, these meetings with the families and so on will give a good indication as to numbers,” he said.
Mr Shadick said the commissioners had already collected documents about the vessel and on Thursday plan to visit the goods wharf at Kingston where north-west district-bound ferries depart, and two dry dock facilities.
