Guyana is recovering from the deadliest maritime accident in Caribbean history and it has engaged two prominent Belizeans to help.
Attorney Godfrey Smith has been appointed to chair an independent Commission of Inquiry into the ferry disaster involving the passenger vessel MV Barima, which sank on Saturday, July 18, 2026. The confirmed death toll currently stands at 73 with 30 passengers still unaccounted for.
The international panel was formally named by Guyanese President Dr. Irfaan Ali on Sunday morning. Joining Smith on the five-member high-level committee are naval architecture expert Dr. Andre Jesse Anungski of Poland, Jamaican maritime surveyor Captain Hamada Fauda, Trinidadian admiralty lawyer Nairi Dawn Alfonso, and former Trinidadian defense chief Rear Admiral Hayden Pritchard.
Smith and his panel will examine the events and circumstances surrounding the vessel's departure and capsizing, evaluate emergency responses, and deliver recommendations to prevent future maritime disasters.
And Senior Counsel Eamon Courtenay has also been called upon by the government of Guyana to help. President Irfaan Ali today announced the launch of the HEART Initiative, a program designed to provide direct economic, medical, and psychological relief to victims and families affected by the ferry disaster. Former Foreign Minister Courtenay has been tasked with mobilizing financial assistance for affected persons.
