The MV Barima tragedy must drive a new culture of safety, infrastructure, leadership and responsibility, President Dr Irfaan Ali said, adding that it still costs him sleepless nights.

In a recent interview, Ali said the tragedy "continues to be a heavy weight" and is "something that I wish never happened".

He said his responsibility as President meant staying present through the crisis alongside affected families. "I'm the president. I'm the leader and a leader must not only be a leader in the good times," Ali said, noting that leaders must be present "in every circumstances, in every season."

The disaster also exposed the need to examine the national response, he said, a process that must include "a new culture of safety, infrastructure, leadership and responsibility". "Our task, therefore, is to navigate the future from the harsh lessons of that tragedy and every other tragedy, and to build in the memories of those who we lost," he said.

Support for the families, Ali said, cannot end with the immediate aftermath and must include emotional, spiritual, physical, community and material assistance. "If I am to understand my superior mandate through faith, I know I have a duty and responsibility to those families," he said, adding that the responsibility is "not only for a moment, but for my lifetime."

The tragedy has also changed the country, he said. While Guyana has continued with its daily responsibilities, "we will never continue the same way" since the disaster.

The MV Barima sank on July 18 while travelling from Georgetown to Port Kaituma, triggering a major search, rescue and recovery operation.

A Commission of Inquiry into the sinking has been sworn in but is yet to begin public hearings. It is mandated to examine the causes, any shortcomings and measures needed to strengthen maritime safety.