Last Updated on Thursday, 24 September 2026, 22:35 by Writer
More than two months after the MV Barima ferry sank in the Atlantic Ocean off the Essequibo coast and claimed more than 100 lives, President Irfaan Ali late Thursday night said bids for salvaging the vessel were being evaluated to ensure the right company is picked.
“The technical people are evaluating those bids so that the company can be selected to do the salvaging. That is the reality,” he told a town hall meeting held in Jamaica, Queens, New York.
He rejected repeated suggestions in some quarters that his government was attempting to escape a probe.
“We are not hiding from salvaging. There is a process, and that process is ongoing. We are not hiding from investigation,” he said.
Of the estimated 179 passengers and crew members, 77 persons were rescued and 72 others went missing in the ferry tragedy on July 18.
Last Saturday, opposition A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) parliamentarian, Ganesh Mahipaul said, “Thirty-seven days after the EOI (Expressions of Interest) process closed, the Government has still not publicly provided the country with a contractor and a clear mobilisation date. That is inconsiderate. That is unacceptable and in my view, the manner in which this matter is being handled is becoming inhumane. Government cannot reduce the MV Barima tragedy to another file sitting on a desk somewhere in a Ministry. People died. The Government has a responsibility to demonstrate urgency in getting that vessel recovered.”
At the end of the August 14 deadline, nine companies had submitted EOIs and three submitted bids.
The bidders are Industrial Fabrications Inc. (InFab), BK International Inc and the Netherlands-headquartered KMS B.V.
President Ali also told the town hall meeting that the public tendering process was used to avoid any accusations that he picked a company that might be perceived to be linked to his friends.
KMB B.V. is associated with Koole Contractors that was hired five years ago for an initial GYD$787.6 million to remove sunken vessels from the Demerara River and along sections of the coast to ensure safety of marine traffic.
InFab has over the years done extensive emergency repairs to the now defunct floating Demerara Harbour Bridge.
According to the National Procurement and Tender Administration (NPTAB) records, KMB B.V. has offered to salvage the MV Barima about 10 miles off Devonshire Castle village, Essequibo Coast, for US$2,035,100.
InFab is proposing to do the job for US$1,895,000 while BK International’s asking price is US$1,034,000.
Among the terms of reference in the request for the EOI is that the salvager must be able to preserve forensic evidence for the Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into the incident.
The COI is yet to begin public hearings this month.
The captain, first mate and the Transport and Harbours Department’s goods superintendent are hoping to get their murder charges quashed based on arguments that there was an abuse of process.
Their lawyers say there should have been a marine accident investigation under the Shipping Act before the police were called in.
