Opposition parties demand accountability for ferry tragedy and urge independent probe

A number of opposition parties including the WIN party, the Alliance For Change (AFC), Forward Guyana Movement, (FGM) and VPAC, today held a joint press conference calling for accountability following the MV Barima ferry disaster, urging an independent investigation into one of the country’s worst maritime tragedies.

The parties want the government to call in reputable international investigators to probe every aspect of the vessel operations, which led to its eventual sinking.

FGM Leader, Amanza Walton, said the matter has been handled poorly from the beginning. She said by now the President should have acted in a firm manner by asking the Minister and those in charge of MARAD to proceed on leave to make way for an investigation.

On the question of the investigation, Walton said there needs to be several investigations into this matter, but none must be led by the Government.

She said the Opposition parties have no confidence in the Government to handle investigations into the tragedy, noting conflicting information being provided since Sunday morning.

“Before the end of today, it is important that the Government of Guyana tell the people of Guyana precisely what legal process it has invoked, under what legal authority it is proceeding, who has been appointed to conduct the mandatory marine safety investigation and how that investigation will be functionally independent of those whose action themselves may fall under investigation. Let us be also clear that we do not trust the government, I certainly do not have any confidence in the government investigating itself,” Walton Desir said.

WIN MP, Dawn Hastings-Williams, said the tragedy has opened up fresh wounds for the indigenous community that is still reeling from the Mahdia dorm fire, which took place three years ago and claimed the lives of 20 children.

The Opposition MP said the inconsistent information being received about the true number of persons that were on the vessel remains worrying.

“This tragedy has brought to light the conditions under which our hinterland residents had to endure traveling for long periods to reach their destination in the absence of comfortable and adequate seating in the vessel we have seen passengers spreading cardboards and bedsheets on floor, which is unacceptable in this modern time. Not too many years after the Mahdia dorm fire which claim the lives of more than 20 of our Indigenous children, this disaster has reopened painful wounds for indigenous communities across Guyana,” MP Hastings-Williams noted.

WIN General Secretary and Member of Parliament, Odessa Primus said the psychosocial support being offered is not adequate. She said there should have been continuous monitoring of those who survived the ordeal at a suitable location, rather than them being sent home the day after the tragedy.

“We listened to the Prime Minister saying persons who were rescued were checked and sent home, in that state? After such a tragic event? You are sending a person home who has just gone through perhaps the most traumatic experience they would ever have in their life, to me that is reckless and we have got to do better when it comes to our people,” Primus said.

The Opposition parties are also united in their calls for Works Minister Juan Edghill to resign in face of the tragedy, saying that the Ministerial responsibility stops with him.

With the National Toshaos Conference ongoing in Georgetown, the parties have also called on Indigenous leaders to demand justice and to demand the resignation of the Minister.

The tragedy has prompted nationwide mourning and renewed debate over ferry safety, regulatory enforcement, and emergency preparedness in Guyana.

The Government has pledged accountability if negligence or misconduct is established.

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