Companies are being shortlisted to salvage the MV Barima, one month after the vessel sank off the Essequibo coast, as the Government moves ahead with plans to recover the vessel and determine the circumstances surrounding the tragedy.
President Dr Irfaan Ali said expressions of interest for the salvage operation had closed, with a number of companies now being shortlisted. Those shortlisted would be invited to submit financial proposals for the vessel’s recovery, he said.
Ali said he did not have the exact number of expressions of interest received but believed there were ten or more.
The President said the Government’s priority remained supporting affected families, including those who lost loved ones, families of persons still missing and families of crew members aboard the vessel.
He said the Government had established the HEART Initiative, a long-term, multi-stakeholder mechanism to address the immediate, medium- and long-term needs of affected families. The initiative is expected to facilitate legal, mental-health, medical, counselling and spiritual support, with additional assistance being considered for affected children.
Meanwhile, the Commission of Inquiry into the sinking is expected to begin its substantive work in early September, with the team already established and developing its procedures and work programme.
Asked whether the management team responsible for the vessel should remain suspended, and whether calls for the resignation or removal of Public Works Minister Juan Edghill and Public Utilities Minister Deodat Indar should be acted upon, Ali said he would not prejudge the inquiry’s outcome and that any Government action would be guided by the Commission’s findings and recommendations.
He said the Commission’s independence was critical to ensuring a transparent assessment of the circumstances surrounding the disaster, adding that it would conduct its work, make its determinations and recommendations, and that Government would proceed from there.
Ali said an independent team was also examining the safety of other vessels, identifying gaps and ensuring that issues requiring immediate attention were addressed.
The MV Barima was travelling from Georgetown to Port Kaituma when it capsized and sank on July 18.
