The period of mourning will be observed from Wednesday, July 22, through Friday, July 24, during which the National Flag will be flown at half-staff on all government buildings and other appropriate locations across the country in honour of those who lost their lives.

The announcement comes as search and recovery efforts continue after the 87-year-old MV Barima capsized late Saturday during its voyage from Georgetown to Port Kaituma in Region One. The disaster has claimed dozens of lives, with authorities reporting 77 survivors and 41 bodies recovered as of Tuesday, while recovery teams continue searching for those still unaccounted for.

The tragedy has shaken the nation and exposed significant shortcomings in the management of Guyana’s maritime sector. Initial reports indicated that 116 passengers and 17 crew members were aboard the ferry. However, authorities later acknowledged that the official passenger manifest was inaccurate, with Prime Minister Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips stating that investigations indicate 179 people were on board when the vessel sank.