(Kaieteur News) – Amid the controversy surrounding the investigation into the circumstances of the capsizing and sinking of the MV Barima on 18th July, a leaked proposal has exposed a highly questionable move by the Government of Guyana (GoG) to seek the services of a Dutch firm to lift the vessel, prior to issuing an official Request for Proposals (RFP) on Saturday.

Sources closely connected to the GoG told this newspaper that the administration quietly “invited” a Dutch firm, Koole Onshore and Koole Offshore (KMS), headquartered in the Netherlands to send a proposal to retrieve the sunken ferry. Kaieteur News understands that KMS established a base in Suriname where it can easily mobilise staff and resources to Guyana.

The proposal leaked to this publication is clearly dated 28th July, 2026, days before government publicly opened a competitive bidding process. This raises questions as to whether the government has already selected a company to salvage the vessel and has merely launched a bidding process to satisfy the public and assure family members and victims of the dreaded incident of a “transparent process”.