FORMER CAPTAIN BLAMES T&HD AND MINISTERS FOR MV BARIMA TRAGEDY

What this source establishes

Andrew Donald, who says he commanded the MV Barima during 12 years at the Transport & Harbours Department, describes the vessel as "a floating disaster waiting to occur" and states "I blame T&HD and its subject ministers." No other outlet in this survey carries Donald. Donald "described the MV Barima as a single-hull passenger vessel and alleged that it operated contrary to standards contained in the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea." HGPTV immediately qualifies: "Whether those specific international requirements applied to the vessel and whether it complied with the relevant domestic rules.

Key claims

• [SINGLE SOURCE] Andrew Donald, who says he commanded the MV Barima during 12 years at the Transport & Harbours Department, describes the vessel as "a floating disaster waiting to occur" and states "I blame T&HD and its subject ministers." No other outlet in this survey carries Donald.
• [ALLEGATION] Donald "described the MV Barima as a single-hull passenger vessel and alleged that it operated contrary to standards contained in the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea." HGPTV immediately qualifies: "Whether those specific international requirements applied to the vessel and whether it complied with the relevant domestic rules remain matters for technical and legal determination."
• [ALLEGATION] "Donald said the ferry lacked hull tanks capable of containing incoming water and did not have an operational bilge system powerful enough to control serious flooding." "In the event of an underwater breach, he claimed, the crew might have had only five to 10 minutes to activate emergency procedures."
• [ALLEGATION] On loading pressure: "He alleged that captains routinely faced pressure from wharf employees, business owners and T&HD managers over how much cargo vessels accepted and when they departed." "He alleged that captains faced attempted bribes and threats of transfer, suspension or dismissal when they resisted." Donald wrote: "Every voyage was a never-ending war with management."
• HGPTV states the verification caveat explicitly: "Those claims have not been independently verified, and Donald did not identify the individuals allegedly responsible. The Commission of Inquiry will have to test his account against T&HD records, communications and testimony from other employees."
• Donald "dismissed the focus on whether maintenance or dry docking was overdue, arguing that the vessel's problems were more fundamental than its repair schedule" — set against Edghill's position that the vessel "was last dry-docked in 2024 and was scheduled for its next planned docking during the second half of 2026."
• Donald called for public examination of "its safety certificates, inspection history, loading records, dry-docking schedule, passenger and cargo limits, freeboard and draft," plus crew qualifications, passage plan and emergency equipment condition.
• [ALLEGATION] Donald says the three charged men are scapegoats: they "do not deserve to be treated like this," and he wrote "The Barima was not supposed to be in service."

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