‘Who is responsible?’ — Barima COI Chairman vows to follow evidence wherever it leads

(Kaieteur News) – The Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into the fatal capsizing and sinking of the M/V Barima officially opened its public proceedings on Wednesday morning, with commission chairman Godfrey Smith, SC, pledging a thorough and independent investigation into the circumstances surrounding the tragedy.

Delivering his opening statement at the preliminary hearing at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre in Georgetown, Smith emphasised that the tribunal’s mandate extends far beyond the vessel’s final moments, promising to examine operational failures, regulatory compliance, and individual accountability without fear or favour.

“Put in plain language, our task is to find out what happened to the BARIMA and why it happened,” Chairman Smith declared. “What circumstances permitted it to happen? Were there warning signs? Were there failures? Were laws, regulations and safety procedures complied with? Were they adequate? Were they properly administered and enforced? Who is responsible and what is to be done about it?”