Smith’s Visa Revocation Deepens Barima Inquiry Credibility Crisis, Says Lall

Social commentator GHK Lall has called for the Presidential Commission of Inquiry (COI) into the sinking of the MV Barima to be scrapped and reconstituted, arguing that the controversy surrounding Chairman Justice Godfrey P. Smith’s United States visa revocation has further damaged the credibility of an investigation into one of Guyana’s worst maritime disasters.

In an opinion article published by Demerara Waves on November 10, 2026, titled “Chair Smith: A Man of the Old School”, Lall praised Smith for offering to resign after learning that his US visa had been revoked, but sharply criticised President Irfaan Ali for rejecting the offer.

Lall described Smith’s decision as an act of honour and professional responsibility, arguing that the chairman recognised the potential implications of the development for public confidence in the inquiry.

He wrote:

“I think that Chairman Smith was honorable and graceful with his stepdown offer. The president’s response confirmed my worst fears about his judgement, his other qualities, if they so measure.”

Smith disclosed on November 10 that he had received an email from the US Embassy in Belize informing him that his visa had been revoked. He said he contacted the embassy to verify the communication and seek clarification but was told that the decision had been issued by the US State Department and that no further explanation could be provided.

He subsequently informed President Ali and offered to resign if the President believed the development could hinder, hamper or taint his role as chairman. Ali emphatically declined the offer, according to Smith.

Lall questions the Commission’s credibility

Lall argued that the visa revocation, coming while Smith is presiding over an inquiry into a national tragedy, has created an additional cloud over an investigation that was already facing public criticism.

He questioned how a foreign jurist selected to lead such a sensitive national investigation could have his US visa revoked after the due diligence expected in the appointment process.

Smith has not received an official explanation for the revocation. In a separate interview he said he believed his involvement in promoting academic exchanges and study tours between Belize and Chinese institutions may have been the reason. That remains his assessment, not a confirmed explanation from Washington.

Lall questioned what credibility the Commission could command under those circumstances, particularly given the sensitivity of the investigation and the expectations of grieving families.

He wrote:

“A COI is about trust. Trust that a clean, comprehensive, and credible job will be conducted. What belief in those now?”

He went further, describing the existing Commission as a “farce, masquerade, and con game” being played on grieving families and the wider Guyanese public. Those are Lall’s assessments, reflecting his deep dissatisfaction with the inquiry.

Calls for a new Commission

Lall’s central recommendation is that the Government abandon the existing Commission and establish a new one under a different chairmanship.

He argued that continuing with the present arrangement could leave families with false expectations about an investigation whose credibility, in his view, has been seriously compromised.

“Scrap this version of the MV Barima COI. Restart with a new one. One with no negative developments from the U.S. government.”

He also questioned what he described as inconsistent treatment by the PPP/C Government in previous visa-related controversies involving Guyanese nationals and Justice Gino Persaud, whose case involved a visa review rather than revocation.

Lall argued that the Government should reconsider its position on Smith’s resignation offer rather than insist that the Commission continue unchanged.

The controversy and the disaster

The MV Barima capsized on July 18, 2026, while travelling from Georgetown to Port Kaituma. Seventy-six people survived, 73 bodies were recovered, and approximately 30 people remained unaccounted for in figures reported following the disaster.

The five-member Commission, chaired by Smith, was established to investigate the circumstances of the sinking, including the vessel’s seaworthiness, passenger and cargo operations, crew conduct, maritime oversight and the search and rescue response. Its mandate also includes identifying failures and recommending measures to prevent a recurrence.

Smith previously pledged that the inquiry would follow the evidence “without fear or favour”, stressing that the Commission was not a criminal court but was tasked with establishing the facts and recommending reforms.

The Commission resumed public hearings on November 10, despite the controversy surrounding its chairman.

For Lall, however, the issue goes beyond Smith’s personal circumstances. He believes the visa revocation has further weakened confidence in an inquiry that must command public trust if its findings are to be accepted.

His appeal to the Government is direct: reconsider the chairman’s resignation offer and establish a fresh Commission rather than continue with what he regards as a compromised arrangement.

Lall’s central concern is that the families who lost loved ones in the MV Barima disaster should not be left depending on an investigation that has failed to command their confidence.