Dear Editor,
The turbulence across Guyana, in the aftermath of the M.V. Barima tragedy, marks a turning point in Guyana’s maritime history. The state owned and operated octogenarian ferry, enroute from Georgetown to Port Kaituma, Region One, capsized and sank in the middle of the treacherous ‘Iron Punt’ zone, in the Atlantic Ocean on July, 18, 2026. The sequence of events which led to this national disaster, has morphed into a national scandal involving various official sins or acts of omission and commission.
Since Bishop Juan Edghill, the Minister of Public Works, with responsibility for the Transport and Harbours Department(T&HD) and Maritime Administration Department (MARAD), considers himself to be a ‘Man of the Cloth’, the term ‘official sins’ may be most appropriate. This national scandal rises to the level of a ‘state crime’ due to these deadly sins, which encompass high levels of ethical, legal, financial and institutional breaches. These breaches forms part of the ‘grand corruption’ that is gnawing away at the soul of Guyana today. Transparency International defines ‘grand corruption’ as, “The abuse of high-level power that benefits the few at the expense of the many…it is systematic and well organized.” The misuse of two new vessels meant to replace the ill-fated Barima, but which were instead used for state sponsored, Babylonian style jollification and revelry, represents an extreme form of grand corruption. The MV Ma Lisha and MV Kalliopi N remained out of service to Port Kaituma, while the mainly indigenous residents of Region one traveled in hopeless squalor on MV Barima.
The chronology of events leading to the tragedy, reveals extremely disturbing systemic failures at the highest levels of government which percolated and which may very well be in violation of Article 25 of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UNUDHR) which states that everyone has a right to adequate standard of living. The text of Article 25 is as follows:
Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including foods, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control.
Motherhood and childhood are entitled to special care and assistance. All children, whether born in or out of wedlock, shall enjoy the same social protection.
In the midst of an economic oil & gas boom, I believe that the Guyana Government is in serious violation of Article 25 of UNUDHR as it relates to adequate standards of living and social protection of our indigenous peoples in particular, and the wider Guyanese society in general. There is urgent need for reforms and modernization of Guyana’s Maritime safety and navigation protocols within the framework of the International Maritime Organization (IMO). I support the call by Member of Parliament Dr. Terrence Campbell for the adjournment of the National Assembly to facilitate an urgent debate on the Establishment of and Terms of Reference for an independent Commission of Inquiry into the MV Barima tragedy. In addition, a formal complaint on the MV Barima tragedy should be made to the United Nations regarding the possible violation of Article 25 of UNUDHR.