Team assembled to draft framework for HEART initiative in wake of MV Barima tragedy

Days after President Dr Irfaan Ali announced the establishment of the Hope, Empathy, Aid, Resilience, and Trust (HEART) initiative to provide sustained support to the survivors and bereaved families of the MV Barima tragedy, a team has been assembled to draft a national framework.
The HEART Initiative is intended to help families through the process of healing by bringing together humanitarian assistance, psychosocial and trauma counselling, social services, spiritual guidance, and other forms of support for those affected.
Importantly, this assistance is not intended as compensation but as an expression of the nation’s enduring commitment to stand beside survivors and bereaved families for as long as necessary.
On Tuesday, President Ali announced that he would establish a national body to coordinate, mobilise, and foster the necessary work of healing.
This initiative will be overseen by trusted and respected religious and civil society individuals drawn from across Guyana.
“We will offer the practical hands of service and provide a safety net of support and compassion so that no family affected by this tragedy will slip through,” the President stated.
Ali expressed gratitude to the Guyanese people and called on all stakeholders to support the establishment of the HEART Initiative, which is aimed at assisting survivors of the MV Barima tragedy and the families of those affected.
The MV Barima disaster is one of Guyana’s deadliest maritime tragedies, involving a passenger and cargo ferry that capsized off the Essequibo Coast on July 18, 2026.