Opposition Leader steps up calls for removal of Public Works Minister over MV Barima ferry tragedy

Leader of the Opposition, Azruddin Mohamed, is not letting up in his calls for the Minister of Works, Bishop Juan Edghill, to be held accountable and responsible for the deadly MV Barima ferry tragedy.

Edghill holds responsibility for the maritime sector and the MV Barima was a Government owned ferry.

Since the 87-year-old vessel sank off the Essequibo Coast on Saturday, the death toll has been climbing steadily as more bodies have been recovered.

While supporting the recovery operation on Wednesday, Mr. Mohamed told reporters that grieving families and those affected by the tragedy must get justice, and getting that justice must be placed at the feet of the Minister who has oversight for the sector.

“Before we reach to the parliamentary level, Edghill must go, Edghill must resign. He must be held accountable. Just, last night I received a call, I think is one of the crew members, the families, they arrested them. They are in the lock-ups presently. Edghill should have been in the lock-ups since this incident happened. He should have been in the lock-ups first assisting with the investigation. So, Edghill must resign and we are going to ensure that we hold them accountable because he is, he is accountable for what happen here. This is our country’s largest, after the Jim Jones Massacre, national tragedy,” the Opposition Leader said.

Since the Saturday night tragedy, the Police have arrested three of the four crew members who survived, including the captain, and a load supervisor from the Transport and Harbours Department.

The Opposition Leader said the Opposition will take action at the level of the National Assembly against the Public Works Minister, including moving a no-confidence motion against him.

“We got to ensure that we empower, that we fight for the rights of the people of this country, so we will be putting together something as it relates to the tragedy with this vessel. No-confidence motion…against the minister first because the President still got to answer about this farm too, we ain’t forget about this farm, trust me we ain’t forget about the farm,” the Opposition Leader said.

He said while the Government is now seeking to lay blame at the feet of the crew, it is the Government that hands down instructions on the operation of Government services.

**Families gather to identify the remains of those who died in the MV Barima tragedy**

“Based on what I am hearing from the families of the crew members, like the captain, that if the boat is overloaded, they are going to get a call from Edghill, they are going to get a call from Mr. Thomas, please ensure that these cargo go to Region One. This is what is happening. They are pressuring the small man, but at the end of the day, the small man got to get instructions from the ministers. Now, no system is in place as it relates to the manifest, no system. They don’t even know how much bodies, they don’t know how many persons went on the vessel. So, right now we are out here, we have nothing to work with, so we could know how much we have to look for. One time they said 67, then it jump to 77. Now if they can’t manage a simple ferry, how can they manage this country,” the Opposition Leader said.

Mohamed wants to see the incident investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigations, Scotland Yard, or an internationally recognized investigating body.

A number of political parties and other groups including the Amerindian People’s Association (APA), have called for Minister Edghill to be removed from office, and for there to be a swift, transparent and complete probe of the tragic ferry incident.

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