The Commission of Inquiry into the sinking of the MV Barima will begin taking evidence on Wednesday 14 October, with more than 100 witnesses expected to testify. Javed Shadick, the commission's secretary, announced the date at a press briefing on Tuesday. He said the commission plans "to commence the first sitting" on that day, starting with people who have asked to give evidence and have been processed by the secretariat.

Hearings will take place at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre in Liliendaal, where the secretariat is based. They will run from Monday to Friday, between 9am and 4pm. Interpreters and counsellors will be available where needed.

Mr Shadick said potential witnesses have been placed in four broad groups: first responders, officials, survivors, and relatives of those who died. Response from the public has so far been limited. A notice issued last week invited anyone with information to come forward, but only one person, a survivor, has contacted the secretariat to say they intend to testify.

Counsel to the commission, Teni Housty and Arud Gossai, will interview people believed to have knowledge relevant to the terms of reference. Their findings from those interviews are likely to shape the list of people who are asked to testify.

Before the hearings start, the five commissioners have a week of meetings and visits lined up. The commission opens formally at 10am today, Wednesday 7 October, and the commissioners will then meet families of survivors in Regions 3, 4 and 5. On Thursday they will visit Kingston Wharf, the Maritime Administration Department (MARAD) and the Transport and Harbours Department. Two dry-dock facilities on the East Bank of Demerara are scheduled for Friday. The commissioners will travel to Mabaruma on Monday 12 October and to Port Kaituma on Tuesday 13 October, where they will meet survivors and families and inspect wharf facilities.

Mr Shadick stressed that none of these engagements counts as evidence-taking. He said the meetings are an opportunity for the commissioners to reach out to those affected, and that no evidence will be recorded at them.

The commission has been asked to establish the full circumstances of the tragedy. That includes the causes and factors relating to how the vessel was loaded, how passengers were allowed to board, and the conditions on board, as well as the capsizing and sinking itself. The commissioners must also assess whether the search, rescue and recovery operations were adequate. The seaworthiness and maintenance history of the vessel fall within the remit, as does the competence of the crew.

The inquiry must further decide whether the relevant laws and operating procedures were followed. It will consider whether negligence, misconduct, dereliction of duty or other failures contributed to the disaster.

The commission was originally given two months to finish its work. Mr Shadick said that period is almost over and will have to be extended because evidence-gathering is expected to take longer. "The two months time frame would have to be extended," he said, adding that anyone could see the deadline was close.

He gave an initial estimate of about six months for the whole process. The length of the hearings will determine when the final report can be written, since the report is prepared only after all evidence has been heard. Mr Shadick said he could not say how long the hearings would last.

The commission has five members. It is chaired by Justice Godfrey Phillip Smith of Belize. The other members are Captain Hamada Fouda, Nyree Dawn Alfonso, Rear Admiral (Ret'd) Hayden 

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