President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali on Sunday announced the appointment of Trinidad and Tobago Senior Attorney-at-Law Nyree Dawn Alfonso to the Commission of Inquiry (COI) into the MV Barima tragedy.

Alfonso is the Managing Partner of N.D. Alfonso & Co. and brings more than 36 years of experience in commercial, maritime, insurance and public law. She is admitted to practise in Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana, Grenada, St Lucia and the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (St. Kitts and Nevis).

Widely recognised for her expertise in Admiralty and Maritime Law, Ms Alfonso has represented clients in complex ship arrests, maritime disputes, salvage operations, collisions, marine casualty claims, marine insurance matters and arbitrations. She has also advised international shipowners, insurers, Protection and Indemnity (P&I) Clubs and the Government of Trinidad and Tobago on maritime matters.

Her academic credentials include a Bachelor of Laws from the University of the West Indies, a Master of Laws in Commercial and Corporate Law from King’s College London, and a Postgraduate Diploma in Maritime Law (Merit) from Lloyd’s Maritime Academy.

Throughout her career, Ms Alfonso has served in several senior leadership roles, including Chairperson of the First Citizens Bank Group and Paria Fuel Trading Company Limited. She has also worked extensively to protect the rights of seafarers through more than three decades of collaboration with the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF), helping secure wages and repatriation for hundreds of foreign seafarers.

Her specialised areas of practice include maritime casualty claims, ship collisions, salvage operations, charterparty disputes, vessel arrests, marine insurance, port management, maritime arbitration and advisory services on maritime losses and claims.
Ms Alfonso is one of five members appointed to the Commission of Inquiry, which is tasked with establishing the facts surrounding the MV Barima tragedy and making recommendations to strengthen maritime safety and help prevent similar incidents in the future.

The Commission is chaired by Godfrey Smith and includes Nyree Dawn Alfonso, Rear Admiral (Ret’d) Hayden Pritchard, and Dr Andrzej Jasionowski.
See below for full credentials of Nyree Alfonso:

CURRENT POSITIONS
• Managing Partner, N.D. Alfonso & Co. (1991–Present)
• Chairperson, Paria Fuel Trading Company Ltd. (2025–2026)
• Notary Public (2018–Present)
• Director, Advertising and Printing Company of Trinidad and Tobago Ltd.
• Director/Corporate Secretary, Firearms Training Institute Ltd.
• Director, Trinidad and Tobago Security Services Ltd.

ADMITTED TO PRACTISE
• Trinidad and Tobago
• Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (St. Kitts & Nevis)
• Guyana
• Grenada
• Saint Lucia
EDUCATION
• LL.B. (Hons.), University of the West Indies
• Legal Education Certificate, Council of Legal Education
• LL.M. in Commercial and Corporate Law, King’s College London
• Postgraduate Diploma in Maritime Law (Merit), Lloyd’s Maritime Academy/London Metropolitan University
• Accredited Director designation
EXPERIENCE
Senior Attorney-at-Law with over 36 years’ experience in:
• Commercial law
• Maritime law
• Insurance law
• Public law
• Constitutional law
• Industrial relations law
Recognised for expertise in:
• Admiralty law
• Insurance litigation
• Extradition proceedings
• Judicial review
• Commercial disputes
Experience before:
• Magistrates’ Court
• High Court
• Court of Appeal
• Judicial Committee of the Privy Council
•
CORE PRACTICE AREAS
• Admiralty & Maritime Law
• Marine, Life & General Insurance Law
• Commercial & Corporate Law
• Judicial Review & Constitutional Law
• Extradition Proceedings
• Industrial Relations & Employment Law
• Personal Injury
• Commercial Negotiations & Contractual Disputes
DIRECTORSHIPS
• Chairperson/President, First Citizens Holdings Limited
• Chairperson, First Citizens Bank Limited
• Chairperson, First Citizens (St. Lucia) Limited
• Chairperson, First Citizens Financial Services (St. Lucia) Limited
• Chairperson, First Citizens Investment Services Limited
• Chairperson, First Citizens Brokerage & Advisory Services Limited
• Chairperson, First Citizens Investment Services (Barbados) Limited
• Chairperson, First Citizens Costa Rica S.A.
• Chairperson, First Citizens Bank (Barbados) Limited
Additional appointments include:
• Vice President/Public Relations Officer – Lange Park Management Security Committee
• Director – PowerGen
• Legal Adviser – Central Trinidad Pistol and Rifle Club
• Chairperson – Insurance Investigations Services Ltd.
• Director – Natural Foods Ltd.
• Corporate Secretary – Caribbean Institute Forensic Investigations Ltd.

PUBLICATION
• Sole contributor for Trinidad and Tobago in The Official Guide to Ship Registries (1998) – Review of Commercial & Shipping Law.

SPECIALISED AREAS OF PRACTICE
• Judicial arrest and release of vessels
• Maritime claims
• Collision damage
• Casualties at sea
• Marine insurance claims
• Marine cargo claims
• Salvage operations
• Tug and tow disputes
• Contracts of affreightment
• Charterparty disputes
• Bills of lading
• Ship sales and purchases
• Port management
• Maritime operations
• International trade financing
• Representation of international crews through the International Transport Workers’ Federation
• Representation of regional seafarers
• Advisory services to the Government of Trinidad and Tobago on maritime losses and claims
• Maritime arbitration
• Facilitator and trainer in maritime arbitration and mediation
EXPERTISE
• Strategic legal adviser
• High-level negotiation and dispute resolution
• Governance, risk and regulatory compliance
• Crisis management
• Commercial law
• Insurance law
• Admiralty law
• Labour law
• Public law
• Constitutional law
• Personal injury litigation
• Commercial negotiations
• Advocacy and courtroom litigation