As Guyana continues to mourn the victims of the country’s worst maritime disaster, former Ambassador and Professor Dr. C. Kenrick Hunte has issued a scathing indictment of the Government’s stewardship of public transportation, declaring that the sinking of the MV Barima represents a “catastrophic failure of Government” to fulfill its most fundamental duty—protecting the lives of its citizens.

In a letter published in Village Voice News last Sunday, Dr. Hunte said the tragedy should not only be remembered for its devastating loss of life but also as a turning point that compels sweeping reforms in the management of government-owned services.

His comments come as the nation continues to grapple with the fallout from the July 18 sinking of the 87-year-old state-owned ferry while en route from Georgetown to Port Kaituma. Authorities have confirmed 73 deaths, while 30 people remain missing and are feared dead, bringing the estimated death toll to 103. Seventy-six passengers survived.