UCTP STATEMENT OF CONDOLENCE AND SOLIDARITY FOLLOWING THE MV BARIMA TRAGEDY

The United Confederation of Taíno People (UCTP) extends its deepest condolences to the people of Guyana following the tragic capsizing of the MV Barima during its voyage from Georgetown to Port Kaituma.

We mourn every life lost in this devastating maritime disaster and offer our heartfelt sympathies to the families, friends, and communities enduring unimaginable grief. We also hold in our thoughts the survivors, those still awaiting answers, and the rescue and recovery personnel who responded under extraordinarily difficult circumstances.

The UCTP is especially mindful that members of Guyana’s Indigenous—officially recognized as Amerindian—Peoples were reportedly among those who perished. Their loss is felt throughout the wider Indigenous Caribbean and Circum-Caribbean family. The waters that connect our homelands carry our shared histories, relationships, and responsibilities to one another. In this time of sorrow, we stand beside the Indigenous Peoples of Guyana and all communities affected by this tragedy.

The circumstances surrounding the disaster—including concerns regarding passenger safety, vessel conditions, overcrowding, and discrepancies in the ship’s manifest—must be examined through a thorough, independent, and transparent investigation. The victims, survivors, and bereaved families deserve truth, accountability, and meaningful measures to ensure that a tragedy of this magnitude is never repeated.

May those who crossed into the spirit world be received by the ancestors. May their families find strength in the love of their communities, and may all those affected be surrounded by compassion, support, and justice. In the spirit of solidarity, Kasike R. Múkaro Agueibaná Borrero, President, UCTP