Dear Editor,
I am writing to submit the attached opinion piece for consideration in Kaieteur News.
The article examines the recent MV Barima tragedy not as an isolated accident, but as part of a recurring pattern of institutional failure in Guyana. It draws on the concepts of the rentier state, uneven social citizenship, and the normalisation of risk to argue that the country’s rapid oil wealth has outpaced the development of durable regulatory capacity and equitable protection for citizens.
Given the ongoing national conversation about the ferry disaster and the broader questions it raises about governance and safety, I believe the piece is timely and relevant for your readers.
The full text is included below (and attached as a Word document for convenience). I am happy to make any necessary edits.
Thank you for your time and consideration.