The mother of MV Barima victim Kyon Brown delivered an emotional appeal Wednesday as grieving relatives and survivors confronted members of the Commission of Inquiry, demanding that the sunken vessel be raised and accusing the Government of moving too slowly on an issue that has left families without answers.
Speaking at the meeting with the commissioners at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre, Brown’s mother said families should not have to endure prolonged delays while political considerations appear to overshadow their demand for answers and justice.
Her remarks came as the meeting produced a major development in the long-running controversy over the wreck. Guyanese learned for the first time that BK International, a local company, had been selected as the preferred contractor to salvage the MV Barima. The National Procurement and Tender Administration Board subsequently announced that the contract had been awarded to BK International on a “no cure, no pay” basis.
Brown’s mother said she was grateful for the commissioners’ involvement and indicated that her respect for them had restrained some of the stronger criticisms she wanted to make.
“From my heart, what I see here, I’m grateful to the involvement of the commissioners. I have respect for the commissioners, so I would refrain from saying some of the things that I want to say.”
But she was unapologetic about her frustration with the Government’s handling of the wreck.
“The government is keeping us back and wasting our time. They’re crawling like snail on us.”
She questioned why it had taken so long to move decisively to recover the vessel, arguing that the tragedy should transcend politics.
“Everybody needs help to raise the boat. I am sorry, but I know it could be solved.”
Her plea was blunt: raise the Barima.
She recalled appealing directly to President Irfaan Ali to have the vessel recovered.
“I asked the President, ‘Are you going to pull the boat up?’ I said, ‘Pull the boat up.’ He said no.”
The mother said the Government and Opposition should put aside their political differences and work together to recover the vessel and provide the families with answers.
“If you can’t pull the boat up and the Opposition need to pull the boat up, come together. Don’t put political this and this.”
She said the families were not interested in political arguments.
“When I’m doing political, everybody got to be one. One blood.”
Her concerns echoed those of several relatives and survivors who questioned whether the Commission would ultimately deliver justice. Some family members expressed anger and scepticism about the inquiry, while others said recovering the vessel remained essential to understanding what happened.
The MV Barima sank on July 18, 2026, while travelling from Georgetown to Port Kaituma. The vessel was carrying an estimated 179 people. Seventy-six survivors were rescued, 73 bodies were recovered, while dozens of people remained unaccounted for.
The 87-year-old vessel has remained on the seabed since the disaster.
The revelation concerning BK International came from Commissioner Dr Andrzej Jasionowski, who said he had met members of the prospective salvage team to discuss how the vessel could be raised while preserving evidence that may be crucial to the inquiry.
Three companies had submitted bids: BK International, Industrial Fabrication Inc. and Netherlands-based KMS B.V. BK International submitted the lowest bid at approximately G$1.034 billion, compared with G$1.895 billion from Industrial Fabrication and G$2.035 billion from KMS.
Jasionowski said the salvage operation must be undertaken carefully because improper handling could damage or destroy evidence.
The commissioners have stressed that recovering the vessel is important but that the inquiry will not depend solely on the wreck. The Commission is examining the vessel’s seaworthiness, maintenance, passenger and cargo operations, crew, regulatory oversight, search-and-rescue response and other circumstances surrounding the disaster.
Brown’s mother and the other grieving families say their patience is running out. They are demanding that the MV Barima be raised without further delay, the evidence preserved, and those responsible for the tragedy held to account. After months of waiting, they say they do not want more promises, political arguments or bureaucratic delays—they want answers, accountability and justice for the lives lost.
