MV Barima incident: Help-centres set up at Umana Yana in G/Town & Port Kaituma, Kumaka in Reg. 1 for families

Three Emergency Family Assistance Centres have been established to assist relatives of those 116 passengers and 17 crew members who were on board the MV Barima, which capsized off the Essequibo Coast overnight while en route to Port Kaituma, North-West District in Region One.

These centres are located at the Umana Yana in Kingstown, Georgetown; at the Port Kaituma Community Centre and at the NAREI Extension Centre in Kumaka, Mabaruma in Region One.

So far, 53 persons have been rescued and are currently receiving treatment at Charity, Essequibo Coast.

During a press briefing this morning, acting President, Prime Minister Mark Phillips, explained that while the names of these rescued persons cannot be divulged, the government has set up these help centres, recognising the need for family members to access information about their loved ones.

“Through those centres, we will be in touch with the relatives…the family members of the people who were on board the vessel. So, we are not releasing any names at present. We are focused on rescuing people who are on board the boat,” Phillips stated.

Meanwhile, Public Works Minister Juan Edghill says that staff from the Transport and Harbours Department (THD) will be stationed at these centres to assist family members of those 133 persons who were on board the vessel.

“So, there should be no drought of information. So, the Transport and Harbours personnel with the manifest would be able to interface with family members that are seeking information. And I dare say that that information will become available as soon as it could be verified. We don’t want to put out anything out there that is not accurate,” Eghill stated.

See below flyer for additional information on these assistance centres: