President Dr. Irfaan Ali says the Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into the deadly MV Barima tragedy is expected to begin its on-the-groundwork in early September, as the government continues to roll out long-term support for affected families.
Speaking during a press conference on Tuesday, Ali said the government’s priority is to work closely with all families impacted by the tragedy, including those who lost loved ones, families of persons still missing and relatives of those who worked on the vessel.
President Ali said the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Human Services are maintaining contact with affected families, particularly where children, women and parents are involved.
He said the government has established the HEART Initiative as a long-term, multi-stakeholder support mechanism to address the immediate, medium-term and long-term needs of families.
According to the President, the initiative includes legal support for families facing challenges with documentation and classification, as well as mental health, medical, counselling, spiritual and child-focused support.
Ali said officials are also examining whether there is a need to establish a special home for children who may have been affected by the tragedy.
“So, when I say long-term support, it is long-term support, looking at not the challenges for today and tomorrow, but the long-term challenges,” Ali said.
He said the HEART Initiative is also examining material and financial needs, along with wider social, emotional, mental, medical and family support.
“They’re looking at social, emotional, mental, medical, family, everything, holistically,” Ali said.
The President said the initiative has developed an outreach plan for every region and is building regional networks and support hubs to assist affected families closer to where they live.
Ali also said he has personally been trying to contact families on a daily basis. On the Commission of Inquiry, the President confirmed that the team is already in place and has started settling its procedures and work plan.
“In relation to the COI, the team is in place. They have started looking at their procedures, settling their procedures, and working out their work plan,” Ali said.
He said he has been informed that the actual work of the Commission is expected to commence on the ground in early September.
The Commission was established to investigate the events and circumstances surrounding the sinking of the MV Barima, which was owned and operated by the Transport and Harbours Department of the Ministry of Public Works.
The Commission was appointed under the Commissions of Inquiry Act, which allows the President to appoint one or more commissioners to enquire into any matter where, in his opinion, an inquiry would be for the public welfare.
Justice Godfrey Philip Smith was sworn in as Chairman of the Commission, while the other commissioners are: Dr. Andrzej Jasionowski, a naval architect and marine engineer, Captain Hamada Fouda, Senior Maritime Surveyor and Compliance Auditor with the Maritime Authority of Jamaica, Nyree Dawn Alfonso of Trinidad and Tobago, an attorney-at-law, Nairi Dawn Alfonso of Trinidad and Tobago, an attorney-at-law, and retired Rear Admiral Hayden Pritchard of Trinidad and Tobago.
