By Abena Rockcliffe
Naturally, I feel sympathy for those who lost their lives in the MV Barima tragedy. But my heart bleeds for the surviving passengers. The trauma of the experience, waiting in the cold water, in the dark, hoping for rescue, knowing that some of their loved ones had gone under the water. It must have been beyond terrifying. But what may be harder than living through those hours of torment would be navigating the days, weeks, and months after such an ordeal. Survivor’s guilt may consume many.
While focus may rightfully remain on survivors of the tragedy, there are others who had not been on the ill-fated vessel but lost one or more loved ones. I read about one man who wasn’t on the boat, but more than a dozen of his loved ones were. Kiskadee Watch reported that 17 relatives of Randolph Webber, called “Smokey,” of Aruka Mouth were aboard MV Barima. Seven survived the tragedy, nine bodies were recovered, and a two-year-old remains unaccounted for.
Smokey’s pain must be immense, the weight of which he may carry for the rest of his life, despite not being on board. Survivors and their families are suffering.
I lost my brother, Michael Bascom, a few years back. He died in a horrific car accident. On my way home from his funeral, I observed just how normal the environment seemed. It was the usual hustle and bustle. I remember having to wait in traffic near Bakewell when a wave of irrational anger consumed me. How dare Guyanese carry on with life as normal when I lost my loved one? Michael was older, and we grew up in the same house, so I knew and loved him all my life. The world did not care, life went on, and it infuriated me. Even as I felt the anger, I knew it was irrational. I was well aware that the world cannot stop for everyone’s pain. It just isn’t practical; people die every day. Every day, someone’s world is turned upside down.
But it is not every day a vessel sinks and claims the lives of over 100 people. In fact, it is the first time in recent history that such a tragedy has occurred in Guyana. So many lives lost in one go; women, children, the elderly, just gone in a flash. Some bodies may never be recovered. Some families may never get closure. Guyana cannot stand still for everyone’s pain. But, for this tragedy, Guyana should have stood still, at least for a day. The victims and their families deserved that, at least 24 hours of true mourning, all bars closed, all activities put on hold except search and rescue/search and recovery. Instead, there was largely business as usual. The President eventually announced three days of mourning, but those three days were largely business as usual, with a few vigils held across the country. An official day of true mourning wouldn’t have healed the hearts broken by this tragedy. But it would have been in the records for posterity in a much more empathetic way.
The victims of the MV Barima tragedy were mostly indigenous, Black, and mixed people. Yet, on Monday night, two nights after the tragedy, “Toshaos from across Guyana were welcome to a dinner and cocktail reception ahead of the National Toshaos Council (NTC) Conference 2026. The reception provided an opportunity for leaders to reconnect, network, and prepare for the week ahead…”
That extract was taken from a Facebook post made by the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs, with accompanying photos. Of course, that caption was later changed to something more appropriate. Not only is it terrible that that was an afterthought, but the authors of the post left some of the pictures that captured the Minister of Amerindian Affairs, Sarah Bourne, with smiles on her face.
The life of a typical indigenous person is tough, but while the country faced a crippling tragedy affecting mostly indigenous people, the Minister hosted a cocktail reception. That, to me, highlights the problem. The leaders do not care enough about their own people, the people they represent. Many have called for Minister of Public Works Juan Edghill to be removed. But now that it is public that the MV Barima was no longer fit for purpose, it was often overloaded, and there were many mechanical issues, my concern is this: did the Amerindian Affairs Minister make representation on behalf of her people? Did she raise, in Cabinet, the urgency for a better vessel? If not, does she still qualify to keep her job?
I anticipate those questions may be considered by the Commission of Inquiry that President Irfaan Ali announced.
Minister Edghill is still on the job despite widespread calls for him to resign or go on leave.
Sycophants argue online that the ultimate responsibility is not Edghill’s because he was not the captain, he did not overload the boat, and he was not there. They ignore information that Edghill had another vessel, that was supposed to replace the MV Barima, servicing another route because the Port Kaituma Stelling, that was slated to be completed since 2025, is way behind schedule. They ignore the fact that the first phase of the upgrade to the stelling was completed in 2024. Maybe there are reasons for these realities that have not yet made their way into the public domain. Maybe Edghill acted on instructions. But any reasonable person would have at least proceeded on leave until he or she could be exonerated. Not Edghill, though.
Now the nation is told of a COI. I am not optimistic about it being a reliable pathway to justice. Guyana has seen her fair number of COIs. In fact, many joked that COIs were the going thing under President David Granger. But of the many COIs this country has seen, I cannot point to one where the findings and recommendations were found acceptable to those directly affected.
Many do not believe this COI is meant to uncover the truth; it is meant to calm people.
Very early on, the government saw that this tragedy had the potential to cause severe angst. Citizens’ response to the Adriana Younge ordeal is not yet forgotten. Therefore, the fear tactics and efforts to keep Guyanese under control are in full swing.
Home Affairs Minister Oneidge Walrond announced arrests for anyone spreading misinformation. But those who spread misinformation in the government’s interest, like “the boat was not overloaded,” are not affected. Instead, Sherod Duncan was arrested, taken into custody, and reportedly refused a call to his lawyer after he was seen flying his drone over waters where persons were searching for bodies. Ladies from Red Thread were arrested for mounting a protest, calling for the removal of Edghill near the government-sponsored vigil on the Kingston seawall. Those measures are not considered standard operating procedures in response to a tragedy. It is the maneuvering of a government sending a message: stay in line or else.
As the nation recovers from this tragedy, my hope is for more thoughtful actions. I hope that consideration and respect for the passengers aboard the MV Barima on its last voyage become the real priority, and that measures are put in place to make sure a tragedy like this, one that was completely avoidable, never occurs again.
