The period of mourning will be observed from Wednesday, July 22, through Friday, July 24, during which the National Flag will be flown at half-staff on all government buildings and other appropriate locations across the country in honour of those who lost their lives.
The announcement comes as search and recovery efforts continue after the 87-year-old MV Barima capsized late Saturday during its voyage from Georgetown to Port Kaituma in Region One. The disaster has claimed dozens of lives, with authorities reporting 77 survivors and 41 bodies recovered as of Tuesday, while recovery teams continue searching for those still unaccounted for.
The tragedy has shaken the nation and exposed significant shortcomings in the management of Guyana’s maritime sector. Initial reports indicated that 116 passengers and 17 crew members were aboard the ferry. However, authorities later acknowledged that the official passenger manifest was inaccurate, with Prime Minister Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips stating that investigations indicate 179 people were on board when the vessel sank.
As part of the national observance, Wednesday, July 22, has been designated a National Day of Prayer.
A National Day of Prayer and Remembrance will be held at the Kingston Seawall in Georgetown, bringing together citizens, religious leaders and public officials to honour the victims and support grieving families.
The observances will continue with a Night of Reflection and Prayer in Port Kaituma on Thursday, July 23, followed by a similar service in Mabaruma on Friday, July 24.
The government is also encouraging churches, religious organisations, civic groups and communities across Guyana to hold candlelight vigils and prayer services during the three-day period as the nation reflects on the lives lost.
The declaration of national mourning comes as public grief is increasingly accompanied by demands for accountability. Many Guyanese are questioning how an 87-year-old ferry remained in passenger service despite years of concerns over its age and condition. Those questions have intensified following Public Works Minister Juan Edghill’s 2023 announcement that a replacement vessel for the North West route was on its way to Guyana—a promise that was never fulfilled before the MV Barima sank with scores of people aboard.
While the government has promised a full and transparent investigation, many believe the inquiry must also examine the decisions that kept the ageing vessel in operation, despite repeated assurances that it would be replaced. Search and recovery operations continue with support from local agencies and specialist teams from French Guiana and Trinidad and Tobago, highlighting the scale of a tragedy that has required international assistance.
As Guyana lowers its flags in mourning, many are asking whether this national tragedy could have been prevented. For grieving families, remembrance alone will not be enough. They are demanding accountability for the decisions, delays and broken promises that preceded one of the darkest maritime disasters in the nation’s history.
