Dear Editor,
Over a month and four days ago, on July 18, 2026, our brothers and sisters were high in spirits, preparing to travel by what was considered the cheapest means available to Port Kaituma aboard the MV Barima ferry. They were oblivious to the fact that, hours after departing the Georgetown Goods Wharf, their journey would end in tragedy, with many lives lost.
Since that fatal incident, the Government’s response has appeared casual and uncaring, particularly towards the families who continue to grieve and who are still desperately seeking answers and closure.
The conduct of Prime Minister Mark Phillips and Minister Bishop Juan Edghill towards the families, the media, and, by extension, the nation has been, to say the least, deeply disappointing. Today, they have become remarkably silent on this tragedy. But let them be reminded: Guyanese will never forget July 18, 2026—the day the MV Barima became a death trap. That scar will remain with the families and with this nation for years to come.
Minister Edghill was quick to state that the vessel was not overloaded and that there was no engine failure. Yet survivors who were onboard have given accounts contradicting those statements, including claims that the vessel was overloaded and experienced engine problems.
Who are we to believe? I believe the survivors deserve to be heard, respected and taken seriously.
The nation observed three days of mourning. President Irfaan Ali visited affected communities and assured families that the Government would get to the bottom of this tragic incident. Yet what followed was the identification of persons at the lower levels of the system-Captain Kevin Pryce, Mate Roland Roberts and Goods Superintendent Delon Grandison-who have since faced the most serious charge of murder.
The Government cannot expect Guyanese to simply accept such developments without asking questions. Accountability must extend beyond those at the bottom. We need to know who made the decisions, who had oversight responsibility, who knew what, and whether systemic failures contributed to this tragedy.
President Ali subsequently announced the proposed membership of a Commission of Inquiry into the MV Barima tragedy, without what many stakeholders regarded as adequate consultation. Members of the Opposition raised concerns, but the President proceeded.
The appointed members have since accepted their appointments. Yet, more than a month later, the ill-fated MV Barima remains submerged on the seabed, with human remains reportedly still trapped within the vessel.
At a recent press conference, President Ali announced that the Commission would commence its work in September 2026. However, the public was not given a definite commencement date.
Why the continued uncertainty?
On August 1, 2026, the nation saw a bid request issued by the Maritime Administration Department (MARAD), inviting companies to submit bids for the salvage operation, with a deadline of August 14, 2026.
Today, eight days after the deadline, the nation is still waiting for basic information:
* How many bids were received?
* Which companies submitted bids?
* What were the costs associated with each submission?
* When will the bids be evaluated?
* What is the timeline for selecting the successful bidder?
* When will the salvage operation actually commence?
Meanwhile, families continue to grieve, wait and suffer.
What do you call such an approach? I call it WICKEDNESS.
Where is the promised psychosocial support?
Following the tragedy, a HEART Initiative Committee was established to assist affected families. But today, many families are still saying that they have not been contacted or provided with the support they need.
This is particularly troubling when Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Minister Vindhya Persaud, publicly indicated that families would receive psychosocial support, including support through online platforms.
But grief cannot simply be addressed by announcing that psychosocial support is available online.
Families need meaningful, personal and timely engagement.
Some families are struggling with the loss of loved ones. Others are still waiting for information, answers and, in some instances, closure. A family member should not have to wonder whether anyone from the Government remembers what they are going through.
The two brothers, Neil Cort and Kenrick Cort, are among those whose families continue to endure unimaginable pain.
I have personally checked in with Neil’s wife from time to time, offering words of encouragement and support. It is difficult to hear this woman break down, questioning, searching for answers and struggling to understand why there has been so little closure.
To hear that the Social Worker is no longer checking in is painful.
To hear that no one-from Government, THD or APNU-is checking in is even harder.
We can and must do better as a people and as a nation.
The establishment of a committee is not enough. The announcement of psychosocial support is not enough. Families must actually receive that support.
The HEART Initiative must reach every affected family, not merely those who happen to have access to an online platform or those who have been identified and contacted.
Accountability cannot be abandoned. The calls for accountability cannot go unanswered. I commend the efforts of the APA and We the People’s Movement for maintaining the protest line and continuing to demand answers. We must not give up on this struggle. The numbers may be smaller than before, but this is not a struggle that should be measured only by numbers.
With faith, persistence and consistency, God will work it all out. I will continue to stand with the families. I will continue to call for accountability. I will continue to hold them in my prayers.
And to the families, I say this publicly:
Your battle may look difficult, and at times you may feel forgotten, but do not lose faith. Stand firmly on God’s promises. He will fight our battles. He is just, and His Word will never fail us.
July 18, 2026, must never be forgotten.
The families deserve answers.
The families deserve support.
The families deserve closure.
The nation deserves accountability.
And the truth must come out. Dear PPP/C Government,
Yours truly,
Annette Ferguson
