President Ali announces MV Barima inquiry to begin in September

President Irfaan Ali has announced that the Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into the sinking of the MV Barima ferry, which resulted in over 100 deaths, is scheduled to begin its on-the-ground work in early September.

During a press conference, Ali declined to address specific calls for the resignation of Public Works Minister Juan Edghill and Minister Deodat Indar, or to clarify the current employment status of the MV Barima management team. The President maintained that the CoI is the appropriate mechanism for determining accountability and stated he would not take actions that might prejudice the investigation.

He emphasized that the commission will conduct its own analysis and submit recommendations before any further government action is decided. Prime Minister Mark Phillips previously noted that the management team responsible for the ferry's operations had been sent off duty to preserve the integrity of the investigation.