MV Barima Commission of Inquiry faces procedural challenges

The Presidential Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into the sinking of the state ferry MV Barima is navigating complex legal and procedural hurdles. Chairman Godfrey Smith confirmed that the commission has yet to decide whether three senior crew members—Delon Granderson, Captain Kevin Price, and First Mate Rondell Roberts—will be summoned to provide sworn evidence. The three men face 72 counts of murder related to the July 18, 2026, maritime disaster off the Essequibo coast, which resulted in over 70 deaths.

Defense attorneys have raised concerns regarding the availability of daily unedited transcripts and the potential for evidentiary cross-contamination between the public inquiry and parallel criminal proceedings.

Simultaneously, relatives of victims and survivors have expressed frustration over a lack of clear guidance from the CoI Secretariat. Families reported difficulties in submitting formal applications for standing to testify and noted a lack of publicly accessible information or an operational website detailing the inquiry's procedures and witness expectations.