Letter: Revelations from the Barima Calamity

Dear Editor,

My delayed response to the Barima tragedy in Guyana is quite deliberate. In fact, it is my wont to allow emotions to settle before even attempting any kind of parsing. After all, feelings of empathy are what come, or should, naturally, when any sort of disaster strikes. Feelings can blind even basic observations to reality.

They are also tied to perceptions and suspicions. So yes, I commiserate with all the bereaving, but there is a lurking anger in me, stemming from the harsh and patent reality that the tragedy was and is being used by many to “drive” an “agenda of condemnation” directed at the Irfaan Ali-led administration.
My initial angst stemmed from the human standpoint that many key people became so politically ruthless and sclerotic and chose to submerge themselves opportunistically as opposed to being empathetic. Yet again I see that “opportunistic politics” is defining the Opposition and those of his type, as “loot” and “spoils of war” became the motivation, and not human commiseration and condolences. I question the actual existence and exhibition of humanness in the many who “fell hook, line, and sinker” for the Mohamed ruse. It was appalling. This kind of “political shoplifting” befits beasts.

Editor, my mind will perennially think upon that Saturday night, July 18, 2026, when tragedy descended upon the state-owned passenger vessel, the MV Barima, which capsized and sank off the Essequibo Coast while travelling from Georgetown to Port Kaituma. As it stands now, 73 bodies have been recovered, 76 rescued, and approximately 30 people are still missing at sea.

Now, the goal should still be to prioritise overt care and concern for the victims; certainly not hurling any immediate political or social accusations for gains. I firmly believe that one of the defining features of any human civilisation, at any given time, is that in national tragedies, we all need to preserve human dignity and completely desist from the “weaponisation of grief.”

What I have seen from the WIN Opposition baulks at the very core of humanity. Grief is so deep and reflects the absolute shattering of meaningful bonds, while anger is often a protective mask, used to hide ulterior motives or even fake grief itself. Grief, I posit, can permanently reshape people’s lives and identities, as it impacts thoughts, physical health, beliefs, and daily functioning simultaneously. I am still hypnotically shocked at the ongoing opportunism manifested by so many “predatory politicians”, whose cohesion resides in hating the PPP/C.

I mean, who looks for an arsonist while victims are still in the burning house?

Editor, I tip my hat to all those who sought to join forces in bringing some measure of comfort and space to allow for mourning rather than making political noise or spawning media speculation. My basic view of many has been fortified, and I refer here to many political figures, Opposition groups, and representative bodies, namely the collective Parliamentary Opposition members, who immediately and spontaneously started accusing the ruling People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Administration of systemic negligence, delayed rescue operations, and structural failure following the sinking of the MV Barima. Their obsession is with “grabbing a gain” and not helping the wounded. Their biggest call is not on behalf of the bereaved, but for “heads” to be replaced. Shocking!

It’s like “show me the will and last testimony” of my rich father, and let the “dead bury their dead.”
Look at the targets: Juan Edghill (Minister of Public Works), accusing him of gross negligence for allowing an 87-year-old decaying vessel to remain operational; Mark Phillips (Prime Minister); Priya Manickchand (Cabinet Minister); Deodat Indar (Cabinet Minister); and even Dr Irfaan Ali (President) and the Vice President (Dr Bharrat Jagdeo), accusing the lot of heading a regime rife with incompetence and mismanagement.

This is a classic case, where in a country’s darkest hour, the bedrock for partisan point-scoring is rampant. But I submit that this moment is revealing that more and more citizens are building trust in those who are showing shared grief before demanding answers.

At this juncture it is best for the PPP/C Government solely to coordinate help, even if and when the Opposition is desirous of “lending a hand”. Trying to compete against or subverting Government help betrays a subversive mindset. After all, Government coordination remains a critical necessity during national disasters, even when Opposition parties or political rivals launch independent relief efforts.

While non-Government and Opposition-led initiatives provide valuable grassroots resources, a single, central Government authority is required to prevent chaotic duplication of efforts, manage airspace and hazardous logistics, and ensure equitable aid distribution based on needs, rather than on political affiliation. We all know that when multiple political factions deploy resources during a crisis, a centralised Government framework is essential to maintain order: it’s not rocket science to appreciate that disasters require strict management of communication frequencies, airspace for rescue helicopters, and transport corridors that only a sovereign Government can legally enforce.

Then independent or Opposition groups often focus aid on their specific voter bases or easily accessible urban centres, whereas a central Government is mandated to reach remote or marginalised populations.
The presence of Opposition-led aid operations introduces distinct complexities that emergency managers must navigate: This is no time for politicisation of aid, as disaster zones can become backdrops for political manoeuvring, where competing factions prioritise photo opportunities and public relations over structural, long-term relief.

So, I condemn the motive and modus operandum of Azruddin Mohamed and his WIN people. I equally condemn former Public Works Minister David Patterson and indigenous leaders like Romario Hastings and Chris Debideen. The list can go on. All these are trying to obscure the response of the People’s Progressive Party Government.

Look at the extent. In terms of “Search, Rescue, and Recovery”, the Guyana Defence Force Coast Guard, alongside Private Sector maritime partners, is still scanning over 2100 square kilometres of the Atlantic Ocean.

The Government has already brought in specialised deep-sea divers and naval assets from regional and international allies, including France, Brazil, and Trinidad and Tobago, to bolster aid operations at the wreck site. This has redounded to the rescue of 76 individuals, while recovering more than 70 bodies. Then we must not forget that when all is settled, there will be a five-member independent international commission of inquiry, chaired by Justice Godfrey Philip Smith, to investigate the systemic and operational causes of the disaster.

I intend to make more comments on this tragedy, but for now, my compassion for the loss and my grief naturally lead me to self-heal for a while.

Yours faithfully,
Hargesh B Singh