As the search and rescue operation continues, a number of difficult questions are emerging about the timeline and scale of the emergency response to the MV Barima disaster.

According to official statements, a distress signal was received at approximately 11:00 p.m. on Saturday. Reports are that the first aircraft to arrive over the search area was a privately operated Roraima Airways BN-2B Islander, piloted by Captain Gerald Gouveia Jr. and Captain Learie Barclay, which reached the scene at approximately 1:56 a.m. Reports further indicate that the aircraft arrived before rescue assets from the Guyana Defence Force (GDF), the Maritime Administration Department (MARAD), and the Guyana Coast Guard.

These reports have prompted calls for authorities to release a detailed timeline showing exactly when each agency was notified, when rescue assets were deployed, and when they arrived at the scene. Additionally, while the distress call occurred around 11p.m., by 12:30 a.m. passengers were frantically calling relatives and reporting a capsize in progress. Allegedly, help never arrived until after 2 a.m. The government of Guyana must be transparent with Guyanese citizens.