President Ali is doing his part as Guyana navigates through MV Barima tragedy

Our prayers continue for all those families affected by the MV Barima tragedy. Our thoughts and prayers continue to be with families that have been awaiting news of their loved ones who have not yet been accounted for, with families that have begun burying their loved ones and survivors still living with the trauma of that event two Saturdays ago.
Guyana continues to mourn the victims of the MV Barima tragedy. Guyana has not recovered from the shock. President Irfaan Ali and his Government have been struggling to ensure that all persons who were on the MV Barima are accounted for. While close to 150 persons have been accounted for, with 76 survivors and over 72 deceased, more than two dozen persons remain unaccounted for. The search for possible survivors, although the prospect remains improbable, continues; the recovery of deceased persons remains a priority.
Some of these missing persons, most likely deceased, might well be trapped within the MV Barima. Divers have been trying, and will continue to try, to see if anybody is trapped. President Ali has assured that every attempt will be made to recover missing bodies. It is unfortunate that the President’s assurance, backed up by the continuing efforts of divers, has been met with claims that President Ali and the Government have refused offers from international Governments and agencies.
The truth is that almost immediately, the Government asked for help; almost immediately, the French Government sent 15 divers; almost immediately, Trinidad and Tobago, Brazil, the US, the UK and many others offered support and became involved in the rescue and recovery operations. When persons, in the midst of a tragedy, decide to deliberately spread rumours and fabricate lies, they add to the tragedy. Clearly, some persons have decided their roles will be anti-Government theatre. We saw the “theatre” on Monday in Parliament.
From the moment the magnitude of the MV Barima tragedy revealed itself to the shocked nation early on Sunday morning, Guyana was united that a Commission of Inquiry (CoI) must be appointed. President Irfaan Ali wasted no time, naming the CoI membership within a week after the tragedy unfolded. President Irfaan Ali announced a few days ago the Terms of Reference (TOR) of the CoI and named the Members of the Commission.
All of Guyana from the inception of the tragedy agreed and were in solidarity with the idea that a CoI is necessary for accountability and transparency. President Irfaan Ali acted with alacrity and speed. Using his authority, given to him by the constitution and the laws of Guyana, he named the CoI members to give effect to the national need for a CoI. There could be no mistake that a CoI was an imperative to satisfy the appetite of the nation for a CoI. President Ali had no hesitation.
The five-member CoI is made up of distinguished professionals from outside of Guyana, with four of them from three Caricom member states – Belize, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago – and one European professional. All the members of the MV Barima CoI have extensive qualifications and experience in the various aspects that must be looked into, including maritime ships’ seaworthiness, safety policies and regulations, etc. Days after the announcement of the five-member CoI, none of the political commentators or anti-PPP, anti-Irfaan Ali-led Government figures have questioned the qualifications of the CoI members. At least, not so far.
President Ali knew from the start that naming any Guyanese as a member of the CoI would result in claims of bias and that he, as President, and his Government would be accused of stacking the commission with party friends and sycophants. He knew that if he were to consult with the Opposition or with the small band of rabid anti-Government commentators, they would recommend names that a large section of the population would reject. Ruminations commends President Ali for choosing a pathway that avoids acrimony and a prolonged negotiation over which Guyanese enjoy national confidence to serve on the CoI.
The Opposition and the anti-Government band would, of course, make the issue of consultation a “big thing”. They will crucify President Ali and the Government for not consulting with them. For the Guyanese people, Ruminations asks a simple question: would there be today or in the foreseeable future a CoI had President Ali embarked on the road of consultation with the Opposition? We all know the answer – there would have been no CoI in place today, next week, next month or next year.
It is remarkable that at least five days after the CoI was named, not a single Opposition or anti-Government member has been able to question the qualifications and experience of any of the CoI members. Not that some have not tried to poke holes in the membership, since a handful of persons, from the anti-Government chorus, mainly on social media, have raised irrelevant issues questioning the integrity of a couple of members. Imagine if President Ali had named any Guyanese on the membership of the CoI!
None of us in Guyana should think that in the coming days some of the frenzy of hate against any Guyanese who would have been appointed to the CoI would not be extended eventually to the members named by President Ali. After all, the present Opposition and the anti-Government band rarely rely on facts and objective critique when they criticise President Ali and the Government. Their choice of responding to President Ali, his Cabinet and his Government has always been theatre. They rely on creating drama, instead of measured action. We urge that the Commission be able to begin work immediately and that all of Guyana support their work. As President Ali said, if there are persons who acted in any manner to cause the tragedy, they must be held accountable.