The Secretary of the MV Barima Commission of Inquiry, which began public hearings this morning, has informed the local media that live streaming of the public hearings into the ferry disaster will not be allowed.

While the media has been invited to cover and record the daily hearings, media houses will not be allowed to carry the hearing live. The Secretary to the Commission, Javed Shadick, did not offer a reason behind the decision. He has also announced that Standard Operating Procedures will be issued to the media for its coverage of the Commission’s hearings.

The Commission of Inquiry held no meetings with the Guyana Press Association or any media house about the development or implementation of any Standard Operating Procedures for coverage of the public hearings.

The hearings began this morning at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre more than two months after the members of the Commission of Inquiry were sworn in. In the past week, the Commission has been meeting with survivors and family members of those who died in the tragedy.

Those meetings were covered by the media in Georgetown and during visits to Region One earlier this week.

The Commission has promised that it will be transparent in its operations. With more than 100 persons expected to testify before the inquiry into the July 18 ferry disaster that claimed more than 100 lives, the public hearings are expected to continue for a number of months.

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