Opposition Member of Parliament Amanza Walton-Desir yesterday called for an independent international-standard marine casualty investigation into the sinking of the MV Barima, while demanding the resignation of Public Works Minister Juan Edghill, arguing that the Government cannot credibly investigate a tragedy involving a vessel it owned and operated.
Speaking during a virtual press conference hosted by the Forward Guyana Movement, Walton-Desir extended condolences to the families of those who lost loved ones, those still searching for missing relatives, survivors, and the people of Region One.
She said that while the immediate priority on Saturday was rescue and recovery, “today is the day for accountability.”
“The tragedy of the MV Barima did not begin when she capsized. That was the final chapter. The real story begins much earlier,” Walton-Desir said.
According to her, the disaster may have stemmed from years of unaddressed maintenance issues, delayed infrastructure projects, replacement vessels that were never commissioned, and continued reliance on an ageing ferry.
She argued that the MV Barima was a state-owned vessel, making the Government not only responsible for investigating the accident but also potentially the subject of that investigation.
“The state was the owner and operator of the vessel. It exercised regulatory and administrative responsibilities over maritime safety and is now responsible for investigating the casualty,” she said.
Walton-Desir contended that this created an inherent conflict of interest, since the same authorities responsible for oversight of the vessel could also have their decisions scrutinised during any investigation.
As a result, she called for the immediate resignation of Minister Edghill, saying that if he refuses to step down, President Irfaan Ali should remove him from office.
She also called for Minister with responsibility for aviation and public utilities, Deodat Indar, to play no role in any investigation, noting that he previously held ministerial responsibility for the Transport and Harbours Department before assuming oversight of the Maritime Administration Department.
Walton-Desir further argued that officials whose agencies or decisions may come under scrutiny, including senior officers within the Maritime Administration Department, should cooperate with investigators but should not direct or supervise the investigative process.
She criticised what she described as attempts to reduce the disaster to a criminal investigation of the vessel’s captain and crew.
“We as Guyanese have to reject any narrative that begins and ends with the men who were aboard the vessel whilst ignoring the decisions, omissions and institutional failures that may have preceded that night,” she said.
According to Walton-Desir, Guyana has an international obligation under the International Maritime Organization’s Casualty Investigation Code and the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) to conduct an independent marine casualty investigation whenever there is a loss of life or the loss of a vessel.
She noted that billions of dollars had been allocated for transport infrastructure in Region One, including contracts valued at approximately $891 million for the Kumaka stelling and $1.9 billion for the Morawhanna stelling, projects she said were repeatedly delayed and eventually retendered.
She further questioned why the replacement vessel, the MV Kanawan, remains uncommissioned.
“These are not political questions. These are maritime safety questions. They’re governance questions, and they’re questions that go to the heart of whether our public institutions are functioning as they should,” Walton-Desir said.
She argued that the investigation must determine whether delays in procurement, incomplete infrastructure projects and fleet management decisions contributed directly or indirectly to the continued operation of the MV Barima.
Discussion