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Guyana Appoints International Panel for MV Barima Inquiry
By Aurax Radio | July 28, 2026 | 2 min read
Guyana has appointed a five-member international Commission of Inquiry to investigate the deadly sinking of the MV Barima, one of the country's worst maritime disasters. The panel will examine the causes of the tragedy, assess potential failures and recommend reforms aimed at strengthening maritime safety.
Recovery operations continue following the sinking of the MV Barima as investigators prepare to begin their inquiry.
Guyana President Irfaan Ali has appointed a five-member international Commission of Inquiry to investigate the sinking of the MV Barima, which claimed dozens of lives and prompted calls for an independent review of the country's maritime safety system. The commission was established to determine the circumstances surrounding the disaster, identify any regulatory or operational failures and recommend measures to improve maritime safety. The appointments follow the government's pledge to launch an independent investigation after search, rescue and recovery operations began.
The members of the Commission of Inquiry are:
Godfrey Phillip Smith (Belize) – Chair; former Attorney General of Belize and CARICOM High-Level Representative for Law and Criminal Justice.
Andrzej Anuszewski (Poland) – Naval architect and marine engineering expert.
Hamada Fouda (Jamaica) – Senior Maritime Surveyor and Compliance Auditor with the Maritime Authority of Jamaica.
Dr. Nyree Dawn Alfonso (Trinidad and Tobago) – Attorney specialising in admiralty and maritime law.
Retired Rear Admiral Hayden Pritchard (Trinidad and Tobago) – Former Chief of Defence Staff of the Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force with extensive maritime and security experience.
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The commission will investigate vessel loading procedures, passenger boarding, cargo management, maintenance records, seaworthiness, weather conditions, emergency preparedness and the effectiveness of the search and rescue response. It will also determine whether negligence, misconduct or regulatory shortcomings contributed to the tragedy and recommend legislative, operational and safety reforms. The MV Barima disaster has become one of Guyana's deadliest maritime accidents in recent history, leading to increased scrutiny of ferry operations serving remote communities and renewed calls for stronger oversight of the country's inland and coastal transportation network.
Sources: Information from Guyana Chronicle, Guardian Media (Trinidad and Tobago), Caribbean Today, Caribbean Media Corporation and The Associated Press.
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