https://kiskadeewatch.com/guyana/coi-secretary-unable-to-say-whether-ministers-will-testify-in-mv-barima-inquiry/
COI secretary unable to say whether ministers will testify in MV Barima inquiry
Secretary to the Commission of Inquiry (COI) into the MV Barima tragedy Javed Shadick was today unable to say whether Public Works Minister Juan Edghill and Minister of Public Utilities and Aviation Deodat Indar will be called to testify when the Commission begins its formal work next week Wednesday.
Shadick met with members of the media at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre, Liliendaal, where the COI’s secretariat is located, and was asked by Kiskadee Watch whether the two ministers, whose portfolios include responsibility for areas connected to maritime infrastructure and public works, would be among those summoned to give evidence before the Commission.
He said that he could not say at this stage whether Indar and Edghill would be called to testify. The two ministers have come under intense pressure to resign over the catastrophe.
The Commission is expected to officially begin taking evidence next Wednesday as it moves into the substantive phase of its inquiry into the MV Barima disaster.
The vessel capsized off Guyana’s coast in August, resulting in the deaths of dozens of people and leaving 76 survivors. The COI is expected to unravel details about the vessel’s condition, regulatory oversight, passenger safety and the circumstances surrounding its operation.
The Commission is further tasked with examining the circumstances surrounding the disaster and determining what factors contributed to the loss of life.
The Commission’s proceedings are expected to provide an opportunity for witnesses and other relevant parties to present information about the circumstances before, during and after the tragedy.
The inquiry comes in the face of public concern from relatives of victims, survivors, civil society groups and opposition figures over accountability for the disaster.
The government has previously announced that the inquiry would be conducted by an international commission, with the aim of establishing the facts surrounding the tragedy and making recommendations to prevent a recurrence.
Source: Kiskadee Watch
MV Barima COI to meet families in Mabaruma, Port Kaituma ahead of first setting next Wednesday
MV Barima COI to meet families in Mabaruma, Port Kaituma ahead of first setting next Wednesday
–More than 100 witnesses expected
The Presidential Commission of Inquiry (COI) into the MV Barima tragedy will meet survivors and relatives of those who died in Georgetown, Mabaruma and Port Kaituma, before it begins taking evidence at its first sitting next Wednesday.
Secretary to the Commission, Javed Shadick outlined the schedule at a press conference on Tuesday at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC).
He told reporters that the community meetings are outreach sessions and that formal testimony will be heard only when the Commission sits.
“At these meetings, there is no evidence to be taken,” he said.
The Commission opens formally at 10:00 on Wednesday (October 7). In the afternoon, Commissioners will meet families and survivors living on the coast.
On Thursday from around 09:00, the Commissioners will tour the Kingston wharf, the Maritime Administrative Department (MARAD) and the Transport and Harbours Department (T&HD).
They will also visit two dry-dock facilities on the East Bank of Demerara on Friday.
On Monday, they travel to Mabaruma to view the waterfront facility and meet families and survivors from surrounding communities. The same programme follows at Port Kaituma on Tuesday.
The secretary noted that several Commissioners are shipping experts.
He said the site visits will allow them to see conditions, and the relevant parties will later be called before the Commission.
Counsel for the Commission will interview persons believed to know about the events. Witnesses fall broadly into first responders, officials, survivors, and families of the deceased.
“Our initial count, we’re looking at more than 100 witnesses,” the Secretary said.
A public notice inviting interested persons to testify remains open.
The Commission is also considering hearings outside Georgetown, including in Region One.
The secretary said turnout at this week’s family meetings will guide that decision. He added that arrangements are being made to assist persons who do not speak English.
The Commission’s original two-month timeframe will be extended. The final report will be prepared once all evidence is heard, with an initial estimate of about six months.
The Commission’s secretariat has been operating since August 3. Documents have already been submitted and are being reviewed by the Commissioners.
Hearings will begin at 09:00 daily, though the Secretary said times may be adjusted.
The CoI was established under Section 2(1) of the Commissions of Inquiry Act, Chapter 19:03, to investigate the circumstances surrounding the capsizing and sinking of the MV Barima, owned and operated by the Transport and Harbours Department, on the night of July 18, 2026.
The commission is expected to submit its findings, observations and recommendations to President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali upon completion of its work.
The five-member commission is chaired by Justice Godfrey Phillip Smith of Belize, CARICOM High-Level Representative for Law and Criminal Justice and an Ad Hoc Justice of the Eastern Caribbean Court of Appeal.
The other members are: Dr Andrzej Jasionowski of Poland, a Naval Architect and Marine Engineer who has advised on investigations into several major maritime disasters; Captain Hamada Fouda, Senior Maritime Surveyor and Compliance Auditor with the Maritime Authority of Jamaica; Nyree Dawn Alfonso of Trinidad and Tobago, an Attorney-at-Law with expertise in Admiralty and Maritime Law; and Rear Admiral (Ret’d) Hayden Pritchard of Trinidad and Tobago, a maritime professional with decades of experience in maritime operations and maritime security.
The government has maintained that it has nothing to hide and has met with families of the deceased and survivors throughout and after the ordeal.
The families and survivors of the MV Barima tragedy were offered counselling and other services by the Ministries of Health and Human Services and Social Security.
They were assisted in burying their loved ones with the support of the government. No one was offered a financial settlement. From the start of the tragedy,
President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali said that he was saddened by the incident. He flew to the region to meet with families as search and rescue operations were underway.
Shortly after, President Ali announced the COI and said it had been given a broad mandate to examine every relevant aspect of the disaster.
It will also determine the facts surrounding the sinking and identify its causes and contributing factors. The COI will assess compliance with maritime laws and operational standards and review the effectiveness of the search, among other areas.
“The families who have suffered unimaginable loss await these answers. Future generations deserve the assurance that every lesson that can be learned from this tragedy will indeed be learned,” President Ali said.
Emphasising the commission’s independence, the president has said its composition reflects the highest standards of professionalism and impartiality.
He noted that the commissioners collectively possess internationally recognised expertise in law, marine engineering, maritime operations, maritime regulation and disaster investigations, adding that their experience will enhance the credibility and thoroughness of the inquiry.
He also assured the commissioners that the government will provide all administrative, technical, financial and logistical support required to enable a comprehensive and independent investigation.
President Ali expressed confidence that the commission will execute its mandate with diligence, integrity and fairness, while providing the answers the nation seeks following one of Guyana’s worst maritime tragedies.
The CoI was established under Section 2(1) of the Commissions of Inquiry Act, Chapter 19:03, to investigate the circumstances surrounding the capsizing and sinking of the MV Barima, owned and operated by the Transport and Harbours Department, on the night of July 18, 2026.
The commission is expected to submit its findings, observations, and recommendations to President Ali upon completion of its work. Of the estimated 179 passengers and crew who were aboard the MV Barima, 72 bodies were recovered, 30 could not be accounted for, and 76 were rescued.
TAGS 2026ACCCCOIDPIfirst sittingGovernmentGuyanaJuly 18MabarukaMV Barima tragedyPort KaitumaPresidential CoI
MV Barima CoI: Formal hearing to commence on Oct. 14 with over 100 witnesses to testify
The Commission of Inquiry into the MV Barima tragedy will begin formal hearings on October 14, with more than 100 witnesses expected to give evidence as investigators seek to determine what led to the vessel’s capsizing and sinking on July 18 last year.
Secretary to the Commission, Javed Shadick, made the disclosure on Tuesday during a press briefing outlining the Commission’s schedule and preparations for the start of evidence taking.
The hearings will be held at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC) at Liliendaal, where the Commission Secretariat is based. Proceedings will run from Mondays to Fridays, between 9:00h and 16:00h. Interpreters and counselors will be available where necessary.
Shadick explained that the witnesses have been divided into several broad categories, including first responders, government officials, survivors, and relatives of those who died in the tragedy.
However, despite a public notice issued last week inviting persons with information to come forward, only one survivor has so far contacted the Secretariat indicating an intention to testify. Prior to the start of formal hearings, the commissioners will undertake a series of meetings and site visits.
The Commission will officially begin its work at 10:00h on October 7, when the commissioners are scheduled to meet with families of survivors from Regions Three, Four, and Five.
On October 8, they will visit Kingston Wharf, the Maritime Administration Department (MARAD), and the Transport and Harbours Department. The following day, October 9, the commissioners will inspect two dry-dock facilities on the East Bank of Demerara. The Commission will then travel to Mabaruma and Port Kaituma on October 12 and 13, respectively, to meet with survivors and relatives and visit wharf facilities.
Shadick emphasized that these engagements will not form part of the formal evidence-taking process. The Commission has been tasked with determining the full circumstances surrounding the MV Barima tragedy.
Meanwhile, the Commission was initially given two months to complete its work, but Shadick said an extension will be necessary due to the volume of evidence expected and the number of witnesses to be heard. He estimated that the Commission could take about six months to complete its work, although the final timeline will depend largely on how long the evidence-gathering process takes.
The five-member Commission is chaired by Belizean Justice Godfrey Phillip Smith. Its other members are Captain Hamada Fouda, Nyree Dawn Alfonso, Rear Admiral (Ret’d) Hayden Pritchard, and Dr. Andrzej Jasionowski.
The MV Barima capsized on Saturday, July 18, 2026, approximately 9.3 nautical miles off Devonshire Castle on the Essequibo Coast. The passenger and cargo ferry had departed the Kingston Goods Wharf in Georgetown at about 15:15h on its scheduled voyage to Port Kaituma.
However, at about 23:01h, the vessel transmitted a distress signal after encountering difficulties off the Essequibo Coast near the mouth of the Pomeroon River. A total of 179 people, including 18 crew members, were onboard. The disaster claimed 73 lives, while 76 people survived, and approximately 30 remain unaccounted for.
Source: INews Guyana
Cuba and US maintain ‘channels of communication’ but no negotiations, diplomat says
https://kiskadeewatch.com/world/caribbean/cuba-and-us-maintain-channels-of-communication-but-no-negotiations-diplomat-says/
Cuba and US maintain ‘channels of communication’ but no negotiations, diplomat says
WASHINGTON, (Reuters) – Cuba and the United States have maintained “channels of communication” but are not engaged in any formal negotiations, Havana’s top diplomat in Washington told Reuters, as the Trump administration pursues a pressure campaign against the Communist-ruled island.
In an interview on Monday, Lianys Torres Rivera, chargé d’affaires at the embassy in Washington, said Cuba remains open to a “respectful” dialogue but is “not naive” about President Donald Trump’s threats and has increased preparations to defend itself against any US military action.
The latest US-Cuba diplomatic contacts have included meetings, phone calls and WhatsApp messages, but the two sides have made no progress toward a negotiating agenda or restarting official talks, she said.
“What we have with the US is channels of communication,” Torres Rivera said. She declined to provide details on the timing, topics and participants.
Her description of the communications appears to fall short of Trump’s assertion at the United Nations last month that Secretary of State Marco Rubio was “deep into negotiations” with Havana. Trump also called Cuba a “failed state” and predicted its government would fall. The Cuban delegation walked out in protest.
A US State Department spokesperson said: “It does not come to our surprise that the Cuban regime is circulating this propaganda. In all reality, talks are ongoing and the regime has been unwilling thus far to agree to anything that would help the Cuban people, ultimately, threatening its total control.”
Trump has openly stated that his goal is to fundamentally change Cuba’s government. A US-imposed oil blockade has put the country under severe strain as it contends with fuel shortages and blackouts exacerbated by failing infrastructure. UN human rights experts have condemned the oil blockade as a violation of international law.
Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez said at the end of June that talks initiated earlier this year with the US had stalled, and in early September that no talks were under way or planned.
CUBA’S ‘RED LINE’
Torres Rivera said Cuba’s “red line” remains that Havana is unwilling to negotiate any changes in its political system, seeing Trump’s demands for the removal of the Cuban leadership as a violation of sovereignty.
She rejected the Trump administration’s claims that Cuba was a threat to US national security or is interfering in US domestic affairs, and said Washington was using such accusations as a pretext to continue squeezing the island economically in what she called “collective punishment.”
A US official, responding to Reuters questions, reiterated Trump’s assertion that “we will not allow a haven for foreign adversaries to threaten America on our own doorstep.”
The Trump administration tightened the embargo against Cuba last week, further restricting travel there by Americans and access to US banking for its private sector.
Those measures, said Torres Rivera, contradict US insistence that it wants Cuba to expand private enterprise.
Facing US pressure, Cuba unveiled free-market reforms in June that, if fully implemented, would represent the biggest change to the island’s socialist economy since former leader Fidel Castro took control in 1959.
But Washington says the reforms do not go far enough and has also called for “free and fair” elections.
Despite the gaps, Trump predicted late last month that the US and Cuba “will make a deal,” adding, ”I don’t think we’ll need the military.”
But the Cuban government remains wary.
“Cuba has always been preparing for an aggression from the US,” Torres Rivera said. “And we are increasing our capabilities now more than ever before … It is to defend ourselves.”
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Source: Kiskadee Watch
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