The call that never came: Son waits for news of mother, stepfather missing in MV Barima tragedy

For years, Bibi Mohamed and her husband, Ravindra Singh, made the long and often treacherous journey by sea from Georgetown to Port Kaituma. They travelled with bags of clothing, walking the streets and waterfront to meet loyal customers who had come to know them over the years. It was hard work, but it kept the family going. Now, their son, Safraz, fears that journey has claimed both their lives. The couple are among those still missing after the MV Barima capsized on Saturday night while travelling to Port Kaituma. For Safraz, Saturday had begun like countless others. His mother called him in the morning before setting out. Then, as was her custom, she called again around 3:30 p.m. to let him know the vessel had departed Georgetown. There was one more call he had come to expect. Whenever the boat neared Port Kaituma, she would telephone again to say she had arrived safely. This time, that call never came. Instead, Safraz learned through the news that the passenger vessel had capsized. Bibi Mohamed and her husband, Ravindra Singh Panic set in. He immediately began calling his mother’s phone, hoping she would answer. She never did. As rescue efforts unfolded, he searched anxiously through the names of those brought to safety. “I saw the list with those rescued, but their names weren’t on it,” he said. The couple had built their lives around selling clothing across Guyana. Ravindra had once worked for Puran Brothers Disposal Services, but the long hours left little time for family life. Eventually, he left the job and joined Bibi in her small business. The pair sold clothing at the Leonora Market, but business there was only one day each week and was not enough to support the family. To earn more, they travelled across the country, building a network of regular customers in communities including Port Kaituma, where they would be at the waterfront selling their merchandise. Safraz had accompanied them on some of those trips and understood the dangers of the journey. “The water out there is rough,” he recalled. “I’ve been a couple of times. It’s not nice.” His mother often spoke about how difficult the crossing could be. Yet, like so many others who relied on the route for their livelihoods, they continued making the trip. “They still kept going, no matter how rough it was.” Now, the family waits for answers. The routine phone calls that once reassured a son his parents had arrived safely have been replaced by silence. With each passing day, Safraz continues to hope for the call that never came – a hope shared by dozens of families still waiting for news of loved ones lost in the MV Barima tragedy.