The Commission of Inquiry into the capsizing and sinking of the MV Barima will recommend appropriate accountability where warranted, according to the gazetted Terms of Reference published in The Official Gazette.
The commission’s object is to conduct a thorough, independent and comprehensive public inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the tragedy, establish the full sequence of events, determine causes, and recommend accountability and reforms to prevent recurrence, The Official Gazette said.
Its purpose includes examining the vessel’s seaworthiness, ownership, maintenance and management, passenger boarding and manifest procedures, cargo loading, and the search, rescue and recovery response, according to The Official Gazette.
The commission will also determine whether any negligence, misconduct or institutional failure by any individual or entity contributed to the casualty, and recommend referral to the appropriate authority where warranted.
The inquiry’s scope spans 14 areas, including the vessel’s particulars and seaworthiness, navigation and weather conditions, machinery and technical systems, human factors, emergency preparedness, regulatory oversight, and any previous or concurrent inspections and reports, The Official Gazette said.
Justice Godfrey Phillip Smith of Belize chairs the commission. The other commissioners are Captain Hamada Fouda, Ms Nyree Dawn Alfonso, Dr Andrzej Jasionowski and Rear Admiral (Ret’d) Hayden Pritchard, according to The Official Gazette.
Attorney Javed Khomeini Shadick has been appointed Secretary of the commission, tasked with attending its sittings, recording proceedings, keeping papers and summoning witnesses, The Official Gazette said.
The commission must submit its findings, report and recommendations to the President in writing within two months of its issuance, or within such other time as directed, and may issue interim reports where urgent recommendations are warranted, according to The Official Gazette.
