CRITICAL BARIMA UPDATE TODAY | Government Gives Major Search & Recovery Briefing | MV Barima Tragedy

[00:00:07]All right, good evening everyone. This is Dunston Wilson once again and I'm here representing uh NewsGyner 24.

[00:00:14][snorts] I am the founder, the owner, the person who started News Gyner 24 um a couple years back. I started in 2020 doing the elections as we know it was a um a really interesting time and also a lot of confusion in respect to that election. So um that's when I started news 24. However, you're here to get an update as to what is going on in Guyana currently in respect to the [snorts] um Berema uh vessel tragedy. And like I said, it is a tragedy and we should say it for what it is because we have seen so many um people lost their lives, lots of children, lots of babies and so forth and yet we still can't get our act together. All right. So today what I want to talk to you about um as you get into this video I want to give you like um obviously an update as to what happened uh throughout uh today and also to add the press conference to this um uh to this recording and in so that you can see and also [snorts] um make your own general uh conclusion in respect to what we have seen and what we have heard in respect to what they had to say. All right. So with no further ado, let's get into the information here that I have.

[00:01:37]Now we have Sherid Duncan. For some unknown reason, we still haven't gotten the actual information as yet. I haven't been able to look at the um at the live that he did. Um I won't play it here because that is um his own intellectual property. He also has um his own um news media. But um apparently Sharon Duncan was arrested today by the Guyana police force. Obviously for probably they said um allegedly for flying a drone in some area that the government of Guyana considered to be restricted area.

[00:02:14]However, Sher um is out of the lockups and I'm obviously feel that um he's doing great and uh if you want to get more information on Sherid Duncan, you definitely can go over to his platform and you can get some information in in respect to that. So we were very happy when we heard that um Sherid is out and he's doing well because you know Sherid is a member of parliament um coming from APNU and from what we've seen so far in a media perspective way that the government seems to be doing their own thing in this country and um I'm not going to use the word uh from a media perspective but I I would say that um I feel that they should slow down and you know probably take it a little bit easy.

[00:03:02]Um and also not to um encourage any kind of um you know um protest or anything of that sort because right now everyone is obviously completely tense. Um everyone is completely frustrated. We're also disappointed in terms of uh what we're seeing and what happened. Okay, so that's just an update on Sherid Duncan.

[00:03:28]He's currently out of um out of the um uh kind of police force there, out of the lockup. All right. So, um next issue I want to talk about here is the prime minister of himself. Um I probably should read what he said, but it's a long one, so I'm not going to read that.

[00:03:49]Um like I said from before, you can go over to Newsg 24 on Facebook. um uh you can search NG24 and you will find all of the details, the different stories and everything that I've covered in respect to um what's going on uh throughout the day.

[00:04:08]Okay. Now, we had a a headline here.

[00:04:11]Prime Minister defense government's um MV Bara response and also he criticizes social media cont um conduct. All right.

[00:04:22]So well as we know Guyana right now do have lots of social media influencer and it seems as though the government is not happy in terms of how um the coverage that they're getting from these social media um individuals. So um so they're basically criticizing um you know what what some of us are doing in respect to um putting the information out there the facts and ensuring that members of the diaspora in all parts of the world persons not even uh being a part of the diaspora can get an idea as to what's going on. So the prime minister put out um a statement that he's not happy with this process and he also tried to um say that um he's defending what the government is doing because obviously right now a lot of people are not satisfied with what they're doing and I can say when you watch this press conference you'll be able to say for yourself that if you're satisfied or not because information is critical. um if you're coming to um a press conference, you have to be prepared. And also um I've studied public relations as well um and corporate communications um alongside my degree in communications and my associate um in journalism. So I have the knowledge and uh to talk about these things that in in in respect to crisis and um and disaster control there's a way in which it can be done.

[00:05:57]There's a way in which um it should be done. You cannot come to a press conference with proper information. You have to have everything all put together the numbers the so we can track so you can give out the right information. Now this will just speak to your competence right now. If you are not coming with this information, it just speaks to your incompetence, right? As far as it go, it just says that you are incompetent. And I hope you get a chance to see this um uh this press conference. If you want to move it along and you don't want to hear me rambling, you can go ahead and do so um and get to the press conference section of this video um in so that you can u come up um you can come up with your own conclusion in terms of how the um how the government is handling this serious serious serious serious critical situation because we are seeing bodies upon bodies babies little babies floating up um unsure and you know it's it's it's really heart-wrending. Um and I must say since Sunday I don't think I've been myself because all I kept doing is covering covering covering and covering and looking for updates and so forth. And we wanted to know how many people survived um how many people are still missing and so forth. And like the government said that they have no clue how many people were on that vessel. So now we have different uh you know bodies just popping up and people got to come to identify them. So we hope that the families who are affected uh once again News Guyana 24 uh we want to express our um our condolences and we want to also ensure that uh these families are comforted in some way or the other. If you can reach out, anything that you can do um for these families, you probably can reach out to them directly um and give them that support that they need.

[00:08:00]Okay. So that's it for what the prime minister said in respect to that. So um he said he has no apology for what he said and I have no apologies for what I'm going to say right now. That this prime minister appears to be very arrogant, ignorant and probably dumb.

[00:08:18]I can't say it. But I can say that our prime minister need to conduct himself in a very professional way. And I don't think that the prime minister should be leading this team. The prime minister has no knowledge. He has no information about that department. The person who is paid to to to take care of this department should be leading this team um in in terms of the information in terms of answering questions in terms of the statistics in respect to um the numbers of persons um you know survive the number of persons uh uh you know the bodies and male female and and the list goes on. He should not be the one um answering those questions. the prime minister should probably probably be on the side looking on and try to, you know, to give some kind of um guidance and and and and leadership in this way.

[00:09:13]But I don't think he's capable enough of answering any of the questions. He does not know anything. And as far as I'm concerned, he's frustrating the media and also he's frustrating the people of Guyana. So listen, man, you need to exit. Go about your business. go do something else because I don't think this job is for you right now. Okay? So that's it for the prime minister and I have no apologies with what I've just said. But he need to start conducting himself in a way in a manner and show some kind of respect to the gy community because we need to know what is going on and not for you to just say well okay I don't know what's going on and asking persons on the table. Okay what do you have to say? What do you have to say?

[00:09:55]Well I can't answer you. let's wait for the um let's wait for the uh investigation to be done and all these different things and so forth. People need answers. We need answers. You just can't just come to a press conference and don't give answers. We need answers.

[00:10:12]It's absolutely important especially um it's almost the third day. The third day and we cannot get it together. It's important. All right. So, I'm going to stop with my rambling here and I'll go I'll go over to the next um to the next um pick here. All right. So, last night before I head to bed, um I was on social media probably around 11 11:15 and I came across a statement that the minister this home affairs minister Hesish Waldron that she posted and I'm like why would she post a statement until at the end of the night when people are sleeping and are in bed? So I just, you know, quickly got up and I said, "Okay, let me just put this story together and post it so that people can have an idea because we are News Guy 24.

[00:10:58]We're always posting news 24/7. So once I'm up, if there's something happening and you guys want to reach out to me and said, "Hey, you need to cover this story, give me a call." Just go to my socials and give me a call and I'll cover that story. Okay. Now, back to the minister. This minister here, I'm not sure. I think she's lost for the simple reason that you're going to be talking about she wants against misinformation as calls grow for transparent envy um uh bereim investigation. Obviously that's my take on it because we're asking for a transparent investigation. Now instead of us focusing on what is important, we're now focusing on what people are doing on social media. Yes, there are videos um flying left, right, and center from all different sources. Now, instead of you taking all the the information that we see coming out here on social media and pass it on to the guy in the police force in so that they can take some of these content and said, "Okay, verify the information." and not only verify it because when you're bringing it back to us, you need to show us and tell us, okay, this is not true, that's not true, and you need to have your facts all together too as well, but not to randomly say things and you're trying to warn um citizens as if we're living in a dictator system. We're not, right?

[00:12:20]We're telling people to, oh, yes, to be responsible in respect to the information that they're sharing, but you can't tell them what they should be doing and what they cannot be doing and so forth. And then you have people um um um sharing and tagging you that this person is is is putting out misinformation and so forth. Minister, I want you to say what is misinformation?

[00:12:42]Because you were not on the boat in the first place. So the information that you're getting you have to take it with a grain of salt and you have to you know go through it my mom says my mom would say with a fine teeth comb and that will give you an idea in terms of you know um use in terms of if you can use that information for the investigation. Okay. So I would say let's calm down a little bit because we're getting a little bit ahead of ourselves here. Especially when your entire team, your government is doing an incompetent job. Your government for some unknown reason seems not to be able to answer the questions that are important. The questions that are important. All right. Now, before we continue and before I wrap up this video, um I'm going to uh go to the press conference and so that you can have a chance to see what took place here today and then we can take it from there. So, with no further ado, I will pull up the press conference video and if I feel like stopping it, I will stop coming and give my little um take here and there. But I want you to have a chance to see what's going on in respect to um to mar >> issues. Mr. Steven Thomas.

[00:14:01]>> All right.

[00:14:01]>> And Captain Flores.

[00:14:03]>> There you go.

[00:14:04]>> Who works out of >> the rescue was it?

[00:14:08]>> Coordinator.

[00:14:08]>> Rescue coordinator.

[00:14:10]>> Yes. Somebody was saying something.

[00:14:13]I heard some somebody mentioned something about their Okay. And I have um of course three ministers, Minister um Sonia Parag, Minister Oni Waldron and um Ministerwami McQuary with us.

[00:14:28]There may be some other government officials present, director general of CDC among others and as usual I will read a press statement and then take questions from you. Okay.

[00:14:46]Following the confirmation of the coordinates of the MV Bereimma wreckage yesterday, search, rescue, and recovery operations have intensified significantly.

[00:15:02]16 state and private sector vessels are currently deployed within the wreckage area while the designated search area has been expanded by an additional 400 kilome square sorry 400 square miles >> right 400 square miles yesterday I know we gave you figures in kilome square and I have 400 square miles here >> extending to by any point and what this mean is that we now searching an area of 2100 kilome square right and that area is extended as far as why point right it's a good reference point people could u relate to the whole aim is to maximize the likelihood of locating any remaining persons who are alive out there as a result of ongoing verification We've recorded 76 persons that were rescued as at 1,800 hours today.

[00:16:10]Okay. We went through the verification exercise and that is the figure we will be working with 76 persons.

[00:16:19]A total of 53 bodies have been recovered as at 1,800 hours.

[00:16:28]53 53 bodies. Of the of the bodies recovered, 26 have been positively identified.

[00:16:40]The French and local divers continue to conduct underwater search and recovery operations at the wreckage site. And I said sort and recovery here because they went into the wreckage with the hope as if anybody was still alive there. They could have rescued them.

[00:16:58]Unfortunately, after searching the wreckage, nobody's alive there. Okay. So, as it pertains to the wreckage, that will now be a recovery exercise. And I want to tell you that they did identify a body so far in the wreckage. One body was identified but they were unable to recover the body as at $1,800.

[00:17:24]Additionally, several aircraft have been engaged to transport families members right family members to the Saudi hospital to assist in the identification of their loved ones.

[00:17:42]We've brought uh families from Fort Kaituma, from Maruma and even families from um Georgetown who would have went to the Yumanana the um the the the office that we set up at Yumana, identified themselves family and they express a desire to be transported to region 2 to identify their loved ones and we facilitated that.

[00:18:12]Aerial surveillance has also been deployed to complement the search, rescue, and recovery operations in the expanded area that I mentioned earlier.

[00:18:26]Minister Frank Anthony and his team remain at Saudi hospital and have begun to facilitate the release of identified bodies to their loved ones.

[00:18:39]The French and local divers, as I mentioned before, continue to conduct underwater search and recovery operations at the wreckage site. Of those identified, 11 have been already have already been repatriated to their respective communities upon the requests of their families.

[00:19:03]Arrangements therefore are in place for the continuous facilitation of repatriation requests and regional authorities remain engaged in assisting in this effort with the families to facilitate the arrangements for interment in the communities wherever the recovered um persons would have hailed from.

[00:19:29]All stakeholders participating in the search, rescue, and recovery operations are reminded that any bodies recovered must be transferred immediately to the custody of the Guyana Police Force at the designated facility at the charity River Dam in accordance with the established recovery and identification protocols. protocols which you may recall we would have um sent out as an advisory to everyone who were involved in this search and rescue effort.

[00:20:06]Additional support from the governments of Trinidad and Tobago and Brazil is in route to Guyana. Personnel from the Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard and the Brazilian Navy are expected to arrive tomorrow to reinforce the ongoing search and rescue operations.

[00:20:28]The maritime rescue coordination center remains fully operational and search rescue and recovery efforts will continue until every reasonable effort has been exhausted.

[00:20:46]Government of Guyana extends again its deepest condolences to the families who have suffered unimaginable loss and remain steadfast in his commitment to supporting them through this difficult period.

[00:21:03]His Excellency President Dr. Muhammad Eran Ali has today announced three days of national mourning.

[00:21:15]We ask the nation to continue to keep those affected, their loved ones, and all personnel engaged in these operations in their thoughts and prayers as the search, rescue, and recovery continues.

[00:21:35]I want to stop here and start the exercise of you asking questions and be providing answers and I want to reassure you that we have nothing to hide, right?

[00:21:55]I believe and I live for transparency.

[00:22:00]So just ask a question in a civil manner and I will give you an answer as transparent as ever.

[00:22:11]Now one may ask themselves why is he saying that we have nothing to hide? Now that is kind of um unprofessional because now it's opened your eyes to a lot of things that they're doing and it just opened the government bodies um as a matter of fact this team uh to more scrutiny in terms of what's going on.

[00:22:39]However, let's see how they handled the question because even though he read that um even though he read that uh press release information, it did provide some details. But how much can we remember in respect to what he said? Okay. Now, let's go into the question period time.

[00:23:03][music] I can do. Thank you.

[00:23:11]>> We have one question here for us. Let me recognize her because our hand was up.

[00:23:15]Our hand was up before you. So go ahead ma'am.

[00:23:18]>> Good evening everyone. I was just wondering why the body could not recover from the vessel and if there is a possibility that more in the vest also from the CCTV footage of loading that you were talking about last evening. Um have you been able to determine if there was in fact overloading and if the car was packed properly so that Can you also explain why the works that were to be carried out under not been done?

[00:24:03]>> Is this an indication that you know >> No, you asked a question. One bodies recovered from the from the vessel.

[00:24:12]>> I was just wondering why that one that one that you mentioned. Well, they saw one body and um the divers, they're the ones who must make the call as to whether they can where the body is located and whether they can recover the body from the vessel. The report we got is that they were unable to do that.

[00:24:34]Okay. However, this is an ongoing exercise. More divers will go down, right? They will go down with more equipment. And it is our hope that we will reach a point where they'll be able to safely um extract the body or extricate the body from from from the vessel. But as I speak to you, yes, they they they did identify a body and they were unable to do it. That's not the end of it. Efforts will still be made to recover that body.

[00:25:05]That answer your question?

[00:25:06]>> Not really. No. I I I wanted to know why he couldn't. Is it is your positioning of of your remains?

[00:25:16]>> I am not going to offer a guess here.

[00:25:19]>> The report from the divers is that they were unable but they will continue in their efforts towards recovering the body.

[00:25:28]>> Okay.

[00:25:28]>> Okay. Is it likely that bodies?

[00:25:34]Well, >> is there a possibility?

[00:25:36]>> I would I would say there's a likelihood based on the fact that you had 179 um passengers on board. You know, have the figures as to how many were uh rescued, right? And how many are missing, right? There is likelihood that they may encounter more bodies there, but the effort of the divers is ongoing.

[00:26:00]All right? We have the divers, local divers. We have the French divers and we have divers coming from Trinidad and Brazil tomorrow. So there's a concentrated focus on dealing with searching the vessel, recovering bodies from the vessel and sometime in the future the discussions as to whether we salvage the vessel and so we will enter into those discussion in in the near future. But right now the focus and the concentration is on searching and recovering as much as possible um bodies from the from the vessel.

[00:26:38]>> My question was on the CCTV footage if you were able to determine if you know it was overloaded.

[00:26:46]>> I will ask Mr. Thomas who's the specialist here >> to answer that question. Mr. Thomas >> and Mr. Flores if you you you can take that question.

[00:27:00]>> Sorry.

[00:27:05]>> Thank you. Um, honorable prime minister, uh, the vessel up upon reviewing the the particulars of the vessel uh, in terms of its loading capacity, the vessel uh, loaded cargo was 126 tons.

[00:27:31]At the same time, 397 passengers can be on it.

[00:27:37]That's it. A full load. That mean a full load. But given that it didn't had so much at the 374 passengers, you can the weight of that uh difference can be subtracted and so it does necessarily have to be overloaded. Further the vessel from all the reports from with the the W the vessel load line was barely submerged which is not doesn't indicate overloading because the load lines are catered to be when you go out to sea the fresh water you can allow to overload it not you can submerge the load line there's a calcue but when by the density of the fresh water in the in the river it's not fully fresh but it's it's less less dense than the sea water. So when it goes in se it floats higher. So the load line reg is for this is for at sea.

[00:28:35]So it would satisfy that requirement.

[00:28:40]>> So I don't know if that answer your question >> that is captured on the CCTV.

[00:28:44]>> I I don't look at the caption CCTV.

[00:28:50]>> Does that answer your question?

[00:28:53]>> You had another question.

[00:28:56]Can you explain?

[00:29:05]>> Yes.

[00:29:07]>> Why the burden dried up?

[00:29:16]>> Well, you know, there's a process where the tender you have to go through a tender process, right? And then it passes through cabinet for no objections. And cabinet would have given it no objections.

[00:29:29]>> Three vessels >> for three vessels.

[00:29:32]>> The militia, >> the berea >> and the Horales, right? There's the third vessel >> for the latter half of >> to to to go through maintenance in the latter half of 2026. So this vessel from all um plans would have been going into >> dry dock in keeping with the maintenance schedule.

[00:29:55]The last time I'm told that it was uh maintained was in 2024 and the provision is made in this year for the dry dock and maintenance two years after 2026. So that process has started.

[00:30:15]Yes, go ahead.

[00:30:17]>> Please, how many bodies were actually recovered today?

[00:30:23]>> Let me see.

[00:30:28]>> Yesterday we had >> 1:00 we had 14.

[00:30:44]yesterday. Was that how much?

[00:30:45]>> 31. 21.

[00:30:46]>> 31. So 14 and 8 is 22.

[00:30:49]>> 22 bodies. Yes. 14 and earlier today and eight 22 bodies were recovered today >> since 1:00.

[00:30:56]>> So as at 1,800 hours, right?

[00:31:02]Whole operations today as at 1800 22 22 bodies recovered.

[00:31:08]Mostly a new source. Uh Mr. Prime Minister and the table I'm trying to get an understanding of how the capacity the passenger capacity of the ferry is determined because if my memory serves me correctly when the last dry dock took place two years ago, the capacity then was 150. So how did that balloon into 300 and something? I remember an article when the minister visited the um repair works. They said it was 150 >> 150 passengers.

[00:31:41]>> Passengers >> or 150 tons.

[00:31:43]>> 150 passengers.

[00:31:44]>> Mhm.

[00:31:44]>> That was the figure given back in 2024.

[00:31:48]So I'm trying to understand when you say it has a capacity of 300 and something passengers.

[00:31:54]>> Okay.

[00:31:54]>> Standing, sitting, lying. How do you determine 300 and something people uh being able to be accommodated on that ferry? That is one. And today we spoke uh with uh the wife of a gentleman who is missing and presumed dead and operated a canteen on the vessel. Yes. And she says she was there assisting him prepare to head out on Saturday. And she said during that time there was a loading of an engine onto the top of the vessel because of engine troubles. Uh there was an >> that's what they were told. So could you explain if there was any and other passenger survivors have spoken about a big piece of equipment being loaded onto the vessel during the cargo load. Uh could you explain whether there was a generator or an engine? What was on board the vessel? And could you confirm that when the vessel last came to Georgetown, there were some engine troubles uh during the last voyage to Georgetown from region one?

[00:32:57]Can anybody in the table answer that question?

[00:33:00]>> I I can I can answer part of it.

[00:33:03]>> Yes.

[00:33:08]>> Yeah. Dealing with the with the the first part about the capacity as you know this vessel was built since it's 87 or 89 years old and those are the that is the capacity that is stated.

[00:33:24]Um the capacity can vary if you have cargo or you know full load of cargo or or no cargo but the rating that we have for it fully loaded is the 394 I think passengers and as I mentioned earlier 120 something tons 26 or there about tons. So if you have that full then you have if you have that true then you have the 126 tons. If you have less passengers you can carry more weight. In terms of the distribution of the weight I haven't seen the that I guess the investigation would show that but I don't know how the weight was distributed at the top or the bottom. I I I don't have um record of that but that's how they I take an account for the difference here with the 150 you mentioned minister had mentioned but but the documentation that we have shows 394 >> passengers >> but again sir how do you determine that uh based on even weight persons are not weighed going onto the ferry and even in this case based on the uh the numbers we have seen with persons who were not listed on the manifest So how exactly do you determine when you've reached that capacity when you have over 30 40 people who should not have been there on there and >> not actual >> yes the the vessels have a load line as I mentioned if the load line isn't submerged the vessel isn't overload it as I mentioned the load line according to the the reviews that we and the person that we've talked to help us to This where we are at this stage the load line was just submerged which is said it's usual because when it this is fresh fresh water when it goes in seawater it would be floated higher because of that the the densess of the so in that vessel was not overloaded >> based on the load line. Yes, the load light is the measure if you overload or not overload.

[00:35:31]>> We run the risk of interrogating this whole issue here.

[00:35:38]Um I know that we want to give you answers but we want to give you accurate answers.

[00:35:48]Okay.

[00:35:50]opinion just to um >> the answers the answers many of the answers to your question will come out of the subsequent inquiry that will be done. Okay. I want to say that I want to give Bishop an opportunity to say what what you were about to say. Anybody who would have traveled on the Northwest fairies will know that passengers that are going to the Northwest are not passengers just with a bag or a handbag. They buy their socks and whatever. The hatch is closed and then passengers board with their domestic or what you might want to call personal effects. So you have a loading of the hatch which is commercial cargo in the hatch and then you have the passenger and their bags. Right? So the berea and the others have stopped carrying 300 and something passengers because of the space where people should be sitting down a man have his bag or his box of biscuit or his set of provision and all the rest of it.

[00:37:07]So you would have seen if you gone on the online and all the rest of it, they close the online seating at a certain number, but the space is taken up by people's like you sit down there, you got your handbag or your bag or your suitcase or whatever next to you there. There's two seats to take there.

[00:37:29]>> And I know my colleague mentioned on tender documents because they were repairs that were about to be tendered out. Taking that into consideration and we've seen a long list of repairs that were expected uh should that have not influenced a possible readjusting of the load capacity of the vessel and uh I'm still an answer to the question about whether when the vessel made its last voyage into Georgetown there were some engine troubles that the crew bringing it in had completely >> there was no reported engine troubles from the crew when the boat came in and when the boat left there was no reported engine troubles. In the times past if a boat leave the goods war and it's out at sea they have engine troubles right away they report they come back in any equipment that was put on the boat was not for the purpose of transporting the boat. It was equipment that has been transported by the boat.

[00:38:30]Um, look, an investigation will be done and if you're going to do investigation into an incident like this, you'll ask for all the log books and all the records.

[00:38:45]>> So, let us allow the investigation to answer some of the questions that we cannot answer here. The questions that we are capable of answering here as far as I'm concerned is pertaining to the rescue recovery operation?

[00:39:02]>> Yes.

[00:39:02]>> Um, Mr. Prime Minister, could you say um apart from the vessel itself? Um, has the government lost any equipment that was destined for on the vessel?

[00:39:17]>> Again, >> public works have lost >> again.

[00:39:20]There would have been some loss. I'm advised that public works would have lost some equipment but >> fuel and machinery >> fuel machinery and so but ATVs but all those things will be itemized as part of the whole investigative process. Okay.

[00:39:37]And just to follow up on that, Mr. Prime Minister, I understand you're saying that all of these things will form part of investigation, but sir, could you say whether any government official or minister insisted that these items be loaded in the vessel regardless of the weight limitations?

[00:39:57]>> I don't have such a report. I cannot say yes or no. I don't have such a report.

[00:40:04]If there's such a report out there, I would say when the investigation >> is commence, those people could come forward and they can um submit statements to that effect. Okay. All right. Um and again that is in an effort to keep it transparent.

[00:40:25]If you have a report when the investigation process start the commission of inquiry or whatever you want to call it, feel free come forward and give statements, present your facts to that commission of inquiry. That will be an independent commission of inquiry.

[00:40:41]We obligated as a government to do that.

[00:40:43]A lot of people lost their lives here, right? A lot of people even though they may have been rescued, they left traumatized, right? People would have lost their earnings. Okay? So we are obligated to do such an investigation.

[00:40:55]Yes. I want to move on with the question. I have one from you then I go to you and then I could come back to you. Okay.

[00:41:05]>> Leo Smith. Um following up on my colleague's question about the um claims that something some sort of machinery was being loaded to the top of the vessel um before it depart to Georgetown. I don't think a response is given for that. Um, outside of that, Minister Joe, you said that the there were three I think three or four vessels to be placed into try docks in the latter part of this year. Can you say what was the um confirmed deadline for those vessels to be docked and uh what was and if not if a deadline has was not arrived at why um and in relation to the bodies that we picking up. Prime Minister, do we have um storage covered? Do we have the adequate storage across the various regions to cater for these um these bodies? And finally for me, the um were there any vehicles on the vessel? Um and if yes, what and how many?

[00:42:10]>> Thank you.

[00:42:12]>> So if I have to answer the one about the dry docking >> No, let's start with the thing on the top of the boat first. You were saying that there was some engine that was loaded on the vessel. Question.

[00:42:23]>> You have information of a engine that was loaded on the vessel.

[00:42:25]>> Appeared to be an engine based on the the wife of who >> like a generator or something.

[00:42:29]>> Appear to be an engine or a generator because she said she overheard the crew talking about engine issues and then they said they had to move this.

[00:42:36]>> So we move from seeing to over overhearing.

[00:42:40]>> You know you you see where we going? We going now. said, she said, she said, >> she said, he said, she said, he said, overheard, scene, move to overord.

[00:42:50]>> But that's the point I'm making all the time. We're going to keep going to and fro with he said, she said.

[00:42:56]She overheard the commission of inquiry, >> right? Is an opportunity for that same lady to go and give a statement and say exactly what she saw, what she heard, and everything here. it. I already asked the gentleman here.

[00:43:14]>> No, nobody answered the question.

[00:43:15]>> But none of them is capable of answering the question. They said that everybody Okay. Okay. Don't let me break up anything here. Anybody's capable of answering the question as to whether a huge piece of engine or equipment was loaded on the vessel. Yes or no?

[00:43:30]>> I'm not aware of that, sir. I >> I'm not aware that I'm not involved with the loading of this. So I want to say we've established that nobody here is aware and therefore could answer that question. Okay. Again we don't want to bluff anybody.

[00:43:49]If you're given any answer here it has to be factual.

[00:43:53]If we don't know we don't know. If we know we know and we'll get back to you with information. And in this case, I'm saying let the inquiry take its course and everybody who claimed that they would have seen something right, they will have an opportunity to go before the the the commissioner inquiry and give the statements with the supporting facts. Okay.

[00:44:19]>> Prime Minister, if I can restructure um the question I asked earlier and directly to Minister Edel. But essentially you said that public works lost um equipment and so on.

[00:44:32]>> I simply saying public works had cargo on board the berea for the works we're doing in >> Yeah. Minister what I'm asking now is can you say what type of cargo did the Ministry of Public Works lost when that vessel went down?

[00:44:49]>> We could give a list of that at a later time. I can't determine that.

[00:44:53]>> You don't know.

[00:44:54]I'm saying I will give a list of that later.

[00:44:59]>> We had fuel, we had ATV equipment to do the construction work that is going on in the area. That's what I know about. I don't know about any other Listen, the Berea could only carry four boat four um vehicles.

[00:45:12]The Berea could only carry four vehicles based upon the cargo manifest that I've gone through. It had a pickup, it had a car, it had the public works ATV and other things.

[00:45:25]to say, >> Mr. Prime Minister.

[00:45:29]>> Yes, >> I have a I have a clarification, please.

[00:45:35]>> Mhm.

[00:45:35]>> Sorry, I was checking on something.

[00:45:37]Yeah, go ahead.

[00:45:38]>> One of the one of the >> No, we we we had an order just now, right? And we want to maintain the order. Mr. Smith, we finish with your question.

[00:45:46]>> No, sir. No, sir.

[00:45:47]>> The storage of the bodies.

[00:45:49]>> Yeah. And um >> in anticipation. Yes. Go ahead. And the other one? No, no, go ahead. You >> the the dry docks the date um what was the fun date and if you did not have one, why not? And um and given the strategy, because we still have to dry dock them, when are they coming in for dry docks and um but yeah, >> okay.

[00:46:09]>> You want to go? Yeah, go ahead, Bishop.

[00:46:11]>> Three weeks ago, the evaluation report for the docking of vessels came to cabinet and they offered it no objections.

[00:46:21]Docking of vessels are scheduled with the dry docks. It was scheduled for dry docking in the latter half of 2026. All three, the militia, oracles, and the B.

[00:46:35]Does that answer your question?

[00:46:36]>> Yeah.

[00:46:40]>> But it was supposed to be dry dock in 2026, >> the latter half.

[00:46:44]>> And we started the process, right? And we still in keeping with the schedule of dry docking it in the latter half of 2026. The latter half of 2026 starts from the first July. Right.

[00:46:55]>> Yeah.

[00:46:56]>> And it goes until the 31st of December.

[00:46:58]Right.

[00:46:59]>> Correct.

[00:47:01]>> I have one final question please. Um Minister we spoke of the the loading the capacity and so on. Um the 390 something Mr. Thomas 92 I think it is and so on.

[00:47:14]um the the load the load of the the load that the vessel can carry and so on. Uh my colleague made reference to minister as saying 150 in 2024 when the 150 when the vessel docked. Um, is the age of the vessel a consideration for the load that is placed on it given that it is so old and as it gets older we reduce how much weight we put on it and so on.

[00:47:44]Is that a consideration?

[00:47:46]>> I'm going to ask you right to leave that for the inquiry.

[00:47:58]a like a straight question. It's a general question where they're saying that the the boat has a capacity and at the dry docks in 20 to 24 minister is reported to have said the capacity is 150. My colleague was asking why we jumped or we step back from 392 >> to from 394 poisons to 150 as Minister Edel was reportedly um quoted as saying in 2024.

[00:48:32]So I am now asking if the age of the vessel had anything to do or has anything to do with the amount of load that the vessel is able to accommodate as it goes along its years. That is what I'm asking. I don't think commission of inquiry has to tell us that.

[00:48:51]>> Anybody here can answer that question?

[00:48:53]>> I can answer. Sorry.

[00:49:00]Uh actually um it's the contrary once the vessel is properly maintained it can have its same capacity.

[00:49:12]In addition to that the age of the vessel they were using much thicker steel.

[00:49:18]Now you use thinner steel but with double the strength of the older steel.

[00:49:24]So in other words the ships can carry more cargo because they're lighter because of the improvement in the quality of steel.

[00:49:31]I don't.

[00:49:32]>> Yeah.

[00:49:32]>> Okay.

[00:49:33]>> Thank you.

[00:49:35]>> Yeah.

[00:49:36]>> All right. With regards to the storage of the of of the bodies at Saudi, we have increased the storage capacity in the sense that as we plan for this operation, we recognize we're going to re be in a recovery phase. We be recovering bodies. We knew the capacity that is available at Saudi and we have since overnight moved four containers, right? Four refrigerated containers and those containers are hooked up and those containers would serve to store bodies, right? And the plan is as we recover bodies, we identify, we do the the poor smart them and we hand over as early as possible to the families for the funeral arrangement. So that storage capacity based on our um our plans, our analysis is capable of holding the bodies in the interim as we move to the next stage which is handing over the bodies to the families for the environment.

[00:50:43]So yes, we have the storage capacity for the bodies.

[00:50:48]>> Can I follow up to that?

[00:50:51]Yes, I could ask the um once the bodies are handed over to the families for example most port because you you storing in region two um I don't know if minister could or yourself prime minister what is the morg storage capacity in port ka because a lot of questions are from there not >> no no no we're not going to we're going to straight to funeral straight to burial >> okay >> straight to burial >> thanks >> yeah I don't want to talk too much about bodies but the plan is straight up burial.

[00:51:23]>> Yes.

[00:51:24]>> Yeah. Just to follow up with the storage question. Um what you say is the the number of bodies that what you have the system you have right now with the containers. How many bodies at the time can you hold right now?

[00:51:37]>> The hospital alone can hold 22 bodies.

[00:51:41]>> Right. Each one of the containers I don't have the exact figure but it has the capacity to hold additional bodies as they come in as of now we have 52 bodies >> 53 >> 53 bodies sorry that are stored there okay it it it would have been um more than that but we've already processed 11 and those 11 gone for burial >> sorry sir it's 42 we have 11 already dispatched, >> 42 in storage, 11 dispatched for burial.

[00:52:16]I stand corrected. A total of 53 recovered, 42 in storage and 11 already um is handed over to families for burial.

[00:52:25]>> And two questions outside of the clarification. The first is of the 53 bodies so far, can you say how many are children, men, and women?

[00:52:34]>> We have a finger here.

[00:52:38]>> 16. Sorry.

[00:52:41]Hold on, let me start from the top. We have recovered 53 bodies, >> right?

[00:53:00]What we have identified, >> we've identified a total 26 of the 53 bodies, >> right? Eight males, three females and the children. We have four male >> and 11 >> and 11 female >> for the children.

[00:53:20]>> And obviously un unidentified. We have eight males, eight females, and three children that are unidentified.

[00:53:28]>> No male >> and one [snorts] three.

[00:53:32]>> And my other question is um you see online that some families are seeking financial support for funeral expenses.

[00:53:39]Now, I know you've made you gurancures that you would cover all of those expenses, but I'd like to know if you've communicated directly with all of the families of the victims that those expenses would be covered and have you already made any dispersements to families who are organizing weeks or funerals right now. Yes, we working with the families as I mentioned in the brief and many of this work is being done through the regional authorities right [clears throat] and wakes funeral all of these activities are supported financially and otherwise by the government in keeping with the wishes of the family and when I say in keeping the wishes of the family including um whatever religious and um you know rights of that want to be observed at the funeral. We work with them, right?

[00:54:31]This is a delicate situation and we and we will work right through to the end to bring closure to every family member who would have lost a loved one here.

[00:54:48]>> Um there has been a lot of talk about the number of hours that from the time they to the time that the first rescue of survivors occurred. Do you have a clear idea of you know that that timeline of what time the first rescue of survivors occurred after also um which is servicing the northwest run at the moment and will you guys be moving to pull in the oldies to And lastly for Mr. Edgil, um, given the large loss of life, do you believe that you should resign?

[00:55:35]>> I think we dealt with the last question already.

[00:55:39]>> We've been asking to answer it.

[00:55:41]>> No, no, no. We dealt with the last question already.

[00:55:44]>> Answer the other questions.

[00:55:46]>> We the last one already.

[00:55:50]>> What's What's the other one you want me to go ahead? I was asking the PM if you have a clear idea of um what time the first rescue of survivors occurred after the cap.

[00:56:02]>> I think the PM went through that last night. We had we articulated closer to 11:00. We had the reports from the tower immediately the MRCC went into operation. The Coast Guard dispatch vessels from both Cameroon and Georgetown. So just the time it took to with the metal sharks move from Georgetown and Pomero. I think the first one was on scene probably 130 something.

[00:56:31]We got a report and all all the police assets and everybody started moving directly.

[00:56:38]>> I was asking which vessel is servicing the Northwest Run at the moment and if you'll be moving to your old >> Yes. The vessels that serve the Northwest run is the MV Militia which is the newer vessel that was built in India to be brought to Guyana.

[00:56:57]We have just completed the two stellins at Marijuana and at the new site at Kumaka which is to be commissioned. So there's the MV militia. The Kimia which is also older vessel was totally refurbished and made adjustments for cargo because of the volume of cargo that is going into the area because of the developments that are taking place in region one but they also carry passengers.

[00:57:28]The Berea at 2024 when she was refurbished was also playing particularly the Port Kaituma route but make a stop at marijuana marijuana before it goes into Port Kaituma. So we still have the two vessels that are available to continue to serve the area and we could have just left the militia. the one vessel, but it would have meant the backup of passengers and cargo. And that is why we kept maintaining the older vessels until we just acquired the next vessel >> which is the Calopian which was supposed to move in to relieve some of of of that. See the Calopian is here >> with every vessel that comes the moing have to be adjusted the filing and I don't think I have all the cap files they call them. Um >> yeah the the dolphins >> how you tie it up and how it more. So they're right now there's a contractor that is there extracting old piles to make adjustments to the Caliopian. So So this is just an unfortunate time that the BMA went down before we could get it replaced.

[00:58:45]Good. Yes.

[00:58:48]>> One, two.

[00:58:48]>> I may and then I finish.

[00:58:50]>> One two and then we finish.

[00:58:52]>> Mr. Prime Minister head two quick questions. Um With regards to insurance, could you say whether the vessel was insured uh to maritime standards at this time? And have there been any other arrest uh since we heard about the captain and other crew member being taken into custody? What's the status of them being in custody? And have there been any other arrest of any other staff from Transport and Harpers? And with regard to the insurance of the vessel, was that up to date or the mar standards?

[00:59:27]>> The insurance you don't have.

[00:59:34]>> Go ahead and answer.

[00:59:36]>> As as far as I'm aware, government vessels are not insured.

[00:59:44]As far as I'm aware.

[00:59:46]>> You say why or based on what? Government vehicles are not issued.

[00:59:50]>> That's a practice. Government takes responsibility for if there's an accident and any forms of compensation everything. And so that is the responsibility of the government.

[01:00:00]That's a simple answer.

[01:00:01]>> But with maritime different because they have to be licensed to international standards. So they should have certain insurance to even operate whether in or out country.

[01:00:10]>> These are local vessels. They operate within Guyana >> within the juris with within the jurisdiction of Guyana >> and they operate under the shipping >> and they operate under the shipping act.

[01:00:19]So government takes responsibility or government is the insurer in the sense that any risk associated with the vessel government remains responsible.

[01:00:30]>> With regards to arrests, >> could you say there been any other arrest in the case?

[01:00:35]>> There has been no other arrests. And with regards to those arrested or taken into custody, >> they remain detained and statements were taken from them.

[01:00:43]>> Have they been offered any counseling help since they two were part of the trauma and their strategy?

[01:00:48]>> The counseling is available to them.

[01:00:50]>> Has it been offered?

[01:00:51]>> It's been offered is available to them.

[01:00:53]It's for them to determine if they want to accept the counseling. It's that was discussed with them.

[01:00:59]>> Yes. PM just informed the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security will be engaging all the staff of the Transport and Harvest Department as of 9:00 tomorrow morning. I'd be >> so there's additional information >> and that the simple reason for that you would know that with the crew most of them um not yet accounted for there is trauma at the staff at transport and harbor. So while we the ministry is lending support to families of the passengers we are moving now to lend support to the actual friends family colleagues who they work with that transport and harvest department >> right Dennis your question >> and then Mr. Smith to keep putting his hand up and we will take you last.

[01:01:45]>> Okay.

[01:01:45]>> Minister Edel, um could you say whether um there had been any disciplinary action taken in the past whether reasons are are way into the past against uh Captain who members who uh had allegedly facilitated um unregistered unmanifested if I can call it word passages onto any of the vessels. in the northwest of others.

[01:02:14]I can tell you sir that captain and members of his crew have been disciplined for infractions of various kinds on all of the vessels whether it's for alcohol, drugs, misconduct, carrying family members on unauthorizedly transporting illegal substances on behalf of people.

[01:02:41]storing passengers or cargo without proper freight. All of that there's a system where there are these vessels are inspected before departure.

[01:02:55]>> But if you're inspecting the vessels before departure, how did you ascertain whe that there were extra passengers in the system?

[01:03:03]>> Well, all of that will come out in the investigation. Sir, >> as I mentioned, there will be an inquiry. what you're raising there.

[01:03:10]Obviously, there was some breakdown in the system. We don't want to get into discussing that here. We want the inquiry to go and investigate the extent of those breakdowns in systems and of course they will recommend to us not only disciplinary measures but where and areas where we could tighten and improve on the existing systems. So, we have to move now. We did answer your question. We have to move now to Mr. Smith >> and then we close >> Prime Minister.

[01:03:44]>> So this is a closing question. Let's say listen carefully.

[01:03:47]>> Yeah.

[01:03:50]Anyway, Prime Minister, yesterday when I asked about um Minister Edel if he felt he needed to resign. And so um and I made reference to the calls that were being made by the public. you use the word um we the noise and that seems to have rubbed the public the wrong way. So I want to ask you if you wish to use this press conference to maybe use another word as against the noise that you used yesterday. And finally what I wanted to what I was trying to ask minister which I will ask again. I know you could want to write Cxc mathematics and your teacher tell you that you're not fit to write it because you're not ready. Um, my question of asking Minister Edel if he believes the calls for him to resign are justified is the question that I would really like to ask Minister Echel again which I'm doing and if you can allow Minister Echel to say if he believes the calls for him to resign are justified. That is all I'm asking Minister. Do you believe those calls are justified? I will address any issue at the appropriate time, not tonight.

[01:05:04]>> Okay.

[01:05:05]>> Yesterday I said we've heard the noise and I want to congratulate you for contributing to the noise today.

[01:05:14]>> I think that's a disrespect.

[01:05:16]>> It is not a disrespect.

[01:05:18]You've contributed to the noise because I did answer you yesterday. I said we hoard noise and you come back today with the same >> concern.

[01:05:28]Yes. I have no apologies to make for the statement I made yesterday.

[01:05:33]>> As far as I'm concerned, there's a lot of noise out there >> from the opposition. As far as I am concerned, there's a lot of noise out there from the opposition. I am not getting angry. I'm just be adamant that the focus is on dealing with the search, a rescue and recovery operation. There will there will there are opposition elements that are contributing to the search. There are opposition elements who are making a lot of noise out there. As I said, not only that they're making noise, I said Guyana remains a democratic state. People have a right to say what they want to say.

[01:06:18]Once it don't go down, breaking and damaging buildings and private property and going to a state of disorder.

[01:06:30]That's what I said yesterday and I stand by everything that I said yesterday.

[01:06:35]>> I believe in that. I believe in what I said and I believe that what I'm doing now is the right thing. focusing on bringing closure to those people who would have lost their loved ones and ensuring those who were rescued get the best care. Right? Many of them remain traumatized and working in this whole of government approach which includes the opposition elements who wants to be helpful in bringing closure to people in bringing comfort to those who are rescued.

[01:07:11]Thank you very much. Thank you very much. Thank you very much. Thank you very much. In the river outside of Bereima, there was a a collision in the Kangji River. Could you share any information?

[01:07:24]>> That is being that is being addressed as I speak. The the people >> the people who are rescued, one person has already been transported to hospital and medical attention is being afforded to everybody there.

[01:07:37]>> Right.

[01:07:38]>> Thank you very much. Members of the media. Oh, and okay. So, there you have it. Um, that is the press conference that took place today and I know you I know that you can draw your own conclusion from what you're seeing. Now, uh, like I always say, if you have any questions, uh, feel free to leave it in the comments. And don't forget to follow us, um, on YouTube and also Facebook and Tik Tok and likewise for Instagram. Uh, this is Dunston Wilson for News Guy 24. As always, keeping it real, raw, and relevant. And remember, the tape never lies. Thank you and have a good night.