Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs Anil Nandlall, SC, says no financial compensation offer has been made to any survivor or relative of a person who died in the MV Barima tragedy, rejecting reports that a bereaved family was offered $5 million.
Nandlall addressed the claims on Tuesday night during his Issues in the News programme. He said affected persons who met with the independent legal team were told in writing that their participation in the process was voluntary and that they could seek independent legal advice.
“At this stage, no financial offer of compensation has been made to any survivor or family,” Nandlall said, adding that reports that a specific sum had already been offered were “wholly untrue.”
His statement follows a report by Kiskadee Watch that Mabaruma resident Leon Murray said he rejected a proposed $5 million payment for the loss of six relatives when the ferry sank on July 18. Kiskadee Watch also reported that relatives of the vessel’s chief engineer raised concerns about proposed settlement terms. Nandlall’s denial conflicts with those accounts.
Nandlall said President Dr. Irfaan Ali established the H.E.A.R.T. initiative—Hope, Empathy, Aid, Resilience and Trust – to coordinate support for those affected. He said independent lawyers, led by former Belize Attorney General and Senior Counsel Eamon Courtenay, had met with families in Region Four and travelled to Mabaruma and Port Kaituma.
The Attorney General said the government was keeping its distance from the legal process to avoid allegations of coercion or undue influence. Any terms and conditions for a possible future payment, he said, would be set out in an agreement.
