Jul 20, 2026 Editorial, News

(Kaieteur News) – The sinking of the MV Barima in the Pomeroon is shaping up to be one of Guyana’s biggest disasters yet. In terms of the final human loss, this capsised boat could rank in the upper tiers of disasters for this country. The outlook is grim, and with each passing hour the chances that more will be rescued grow slimmer. It is a time for calm heads to prevail, with any assistance that can be given to search-and-rescue teams extended. We are sure that we at this paper will have more to say on this disaster, and it may not be what pleases many.

Citizens are slowly absorbing, facing up to the reality, that dozens of their fellow citizens on the MV Barima could be lost forever. That not many might be found when the time comes for the search to be called off. In itself, a decision like that is always a painful one, that leaves room for official second guessing at the individual level: was the search-and-save exercise called off a day too early? Is there one passenger or crew member still out there, drifting far off course, hanging on for dear life, and hoping against hope? That he or she will be spotted. That he or she will get a second lease on life. These are questions not easily answered.