The MV Barima Tragedy and Ensuring a Safe and Reliable Public Service

Dear Editor,

Given the ill-fated destruction of  MV Barima and the tragic  loss of life to many fathers, mothers, and children, I join with the many heartbroken Guyanese and extend my deepest sympathy to the  relatives and friends, whose lives have been forever upturned.

Meanwhile, it should be stated that after more than 60 years of safe and reliable service, the MV Barima, which should have been retired as a national monument, has  been transformed into a historical memory of negative proportions.   In fact, this is indeed a national tragedy that requires serious long-term government funded assistance for the damage caused to many families.

And while the Government cannot replace loved ones, the Government must engage with each family that has lost a family member and ascertain what they have lost, and how the Government can assist in closing the breach by providing emotional and financial support to surviving family members.

May I also add a few observations about Government owned and managed  projects that provide daily service to the Guyanese community. And in this regard, it is suggested that all Government owned and managed projects must:

1. Confirm at all times that safety and reliability levels of the Government service is guaranteed and the public using the service is protected;
2. Provide sufficient funding that safeguard safety and reliability;
3. Build an accountable management system that provides timely information on a fully transparent reporting system;
4. Ensure that a reliable, real-time auditing system is in place for a detailed maintenance and retirement program of publicly-owned transport infrastructure and equipment; and
5. Train, certify and reward staff who will manage the various publicly owned services.

In closing, it must be stated that since the first responsibility of any Government must be to protect its citizens; therefore, this case of the MV Barima has been a catastrophic failure of Government not providing a safe and reliable service.  Wake-up Guyana!

Yours truly,
Dr. C. Kenrick Hunte
Professor and Former Ambassador