No compensation offer yet for MV Barima survivors, Nandlall says – News Room Guyana

Attorney General Anil Nandlall says no financial offer of compensation has been made to survivors or relatives of victims of the MV Barima tragedy, despite claims circulating publicly that specific sums have already been offered.

Nandlall said “inaccurate and malicious allegations” were made about the government’s handling of compensation.

He said the government established the H.E.A.R.T. initiative as a national framework to respond to the tragedy and provide assistance to affected persons.

According to Nandlall, a team of independent lawyers has been assigned responsibility for the legal aspects of the process, led by former Belize Attorney General and Senior Counsel Eamon Courtenay.

He said the lawyers have already met with affected persons and relatives in Region Four and travelled to Region One, including Mabaruma and Port Kaituma, where he said many of the affected persons are located.

Nandlall said the lawyers had advised him that people who met with them were informed in writing that their participation in the process is voluntary and that they remain free to obtain independent legal advice.

They were also told that the terms and conditions applicable to any eventual payment would be contained in an agreement, should such an agreement arise.

“At this stage, no financial offer of compensation has been made to any survivor or family,” Nandlall said.

He said reports claiming that specific sums had already been offered to individuals were “wholly untrue.”

Nandlall also stressed that the government is not directly involved in negotiating compensation with affected persons.

He said responsibility had been given to the independent legal team in an effort to keep the government at arm’s length and avoid allegations of undue influence or coercion.

The Attorney General said the wider H.E.A.R.T. initiative includes legal, medical and counselling services for affected persons.
He also warned survivors and relatives to be cautious of lawyers who may seek to solicit their business, referring to what he described as “touting.”

Nandlall said the government’s objective was to assist affected families and help them reach closure following what he described as an extraordinarily painful period.

He said reports of purported compensation offers could create “confusion, anxiety and mistrust” among people already dealing with the aftermath of the tragedy.

Source: NEW ROOMS SITE