Dear Editor,
The loss of life aboard the MV Barima is one of the darkest chapters in Guyana’s modern history. More than seventy people lost their lives in a tragedy that has devastated families and left an entire nation in mourning.
Across Guyana and in the diaspora, candlelight vigils, prayers and acts of remembrance have united people in grief. Such displays of compassion are both moving and necessary as we honour those who never returned home. But while we mourn, we must also ask the difficult questions. Grief without accountability risks becoming acceptance.
There are reports that the captain and members of the crew tested positive for cannabis. If those allegations are proven and any negligence is established, those responsible must face the full force of the law.
However, it is important that this issue is kept in perspective. A joint or two did not, in itself, cause this tragedy. The danger is that public attention becomes focused solely on toxicology reports while far more fundamental questions about management, oversight, safety procedures and systemic failures are overlooked. The nation must not allow the cannabis issue to become a distraction from the reality that the Government itself has acknowledged a breakdown in the system.
The Government has now admitted that there was “a breakdown in the system” responsible for ensuring passengers were properly manifested before the vessel departed. It has also confirmed that the MV Barima was operating without insurance, explaining that this has long been government policy because the State assumes responsibility for losses. These are not merely operational failings. They are systemic failures.
Any Commission of Inquiry must establish exactly what happened, identify every failure and make recommendations to prevent such a tragedy from ever occurring again. But while the Commission will examine operational issues, political accountability cannot be ignored.
The principle of ministerial responsibility exists for moments such as this. Ministers are entrusted not merely with overseeing departments when things go well, but with accepting responsibility when the systems under their stewardship fail catastrophically.
If investigations ultimately find that the captain or members of the crew acted negligently, they should be held accountable. But accountability cannot stop with those on the bridge while those responsible for policy, oversight and safety remain untouched. Leadership requires more than expressions of sympathy. It demands accountability.
The concerns surrounding the Pomeroon stelling illustrate why Guyanese should expect and demand better from those entrusted with public office. It is deeply concerning that the Government reportedly spent approximately US$13 million procuring two new ferries, only to discover afterwards that the stellings intended to accommodate them were unsuitable. Millions more were reportedly spent on a replacement stelling before it emerged that the foundation was vulnerable to subsidence, leaving the Government with little option but to continue operating the 87-year-old MV Barima until appropriate infrastructure could be provided. If these reports are accurate, they represent not merely poor planning but a profound failure of project management and oversight. In my view, this should itself have prompted ministerial accountability. The responsible Minister, the Hon. Juan Edghill, ought to have accepted responsibility then. Following the MV Barima tragedy, I believe the honourable course would have been to resign. That he has chosen not to do so is, in my opinion, deeply disappointing.
If His Excellency the President does not require ministerial accountability for failures of this magnitude, then responsibility extends beyond one minister. In my view, it becomes a collective responsibility of the Cabinet and, politically, of the governing People’s Progressive Party.
The PPP has long described itself as a democratic socialist party operating within a market economy. It also continues to embrace the principle of democratic centralism, under which the General Secretary occupies a position of considerable influence within the Party. For that reason, political accountability cannot be viewed solely through the actions of an individual minister; it ultimately reaches the highest levels of party and government leadership. This tragedy has also reignited wider concerns about governance in Guyana. While many public servants survive on salaries of around G$1 00,000 a month, with many in the private sector earning even less despite the rising cost of living, ordinary Guyanese watch billions of dollars being spent while questioning whether they are receiving value for money. Much has been said about Guyana becoming “the next Dubai”. Ambition is admirable, but nations are not built on slogans. They are built on competence, integrity, transparency and infrastructure that stands the test of time.
If Guyana aspires to be compared with Dubai, then let us emulate what has made Dubai successful: long-term planning, quality infrastructure, execution, accountability and projects designed to serve generations rather than political cycles. Development should benefit the entire nation, not merely reward those with the right political connections. Public contracts should be awarded on merit and capability, not patronage.
Too often, the perception is that corruption has become normalised. Whether through small acts born of hardship or larger abuses of public trust, corruption erodes confidence, weakens institutions and robs future generations of the opportunities they deserve. The corruption seen at the bottom often reflects what is seen at the top.
The victims of the MV Barima deserve more than memorial services and speeches. They deserve the truth. They deserve justice. Above all, they deserve meaningful reform so that no other family has to endure such unimaginable loss. Guyana deserves better. Guyanese deserve better.
Let us not allow arrogance, or the comfort of a parliamentary majority, to replace humility and accountability. Let us put Guyana first.
Let us have the courage to demand higher standards from those entrusted with public office, regardless of political affiliation. Let us build a nation where integrity matters, where public money is wisely spent, where competence is rewarded, and where our children inherit institutions stronger than those we received.
As we look around, too many see the hallmarks of corruption, the squandering of billions of dollars, and too little to leave the next generation. A nation blessed with extraordinary natural wealth should also be rich in integrity, accountability and opportunity.
There is an old saying: “A hungry man is an angry man.” If too many citizens continue to feel excluded from the prosperity they see around them, frustration will inevitably grow. Sustainable development is not measured by GDP alone. It is measured by whether ordinary people feel that they share in the nation’s success.
The MV Barima tragedy must become more than another national disaster followed by condolences, inquiries and forgotten promises. It must be a turning point.
Let it be the moment when Guyana chooses accountability over excuses, competence over complacency, service over self-interest, and nation over politics. That would be the most fitting legacy for those who never came home.