-wants Commission of Inquiry
The Alliance For Change (AFC) yesterday called for the immediate removal of the Minister of Public Works and the Director-General of the Maritime Administration Department (MARAD).
In a statement, the AFC urged President Irfaan Ali to remove the two, Minister Juan Edghill and Captain Stephen Thomas, to ensure what it said would be an independent and transparent investigation into Saturday’s capsizing of MV Barima which has left dozens missing and feared dead.
The party also called for the establishment of a Commission of Inquiry under the Commission of Inquiry Act, Chapter 19:03, to conduct what it described as a comprehensive investigation into all aspects of the tragedy.
According to the AFC, the inquiry should examine 11 key areas, including the vessel, the voyage, weather and sea conditions, the captain and crew, safety equipment and emergency preparedness, the events leading to the sinking, search and rescue operations, crisis management and public communication, regulatory oversight, compliance with international best practices and recommendations for reform.
Among the matters it wants examined are the seaworthiness of the vessel, why the MV Barima was deployed instead of the MV MA Lisha, the qualifications and conduct of the captain and crew, the availability of life-saving equipment, possible alcohol or drug use, weather conditions, passenger and cargo manifests and the effectiveness of emergency procedures.
The AFC also said the inquiry should scrutinise the government’s response following the accident, including the timeliness of rescue operations, command and coordination among agencies, crisis communication and whether all available state and private-sector resources, including assets from the petroleum industry, were promptly mobilised.
It further argued that the Commission should assess the effectiveness of MARAD and other regulatory agencies, identify any systemic failures or negligence, compare Guyana’s maritime safety regime with international standards and recommend legislative, regulatory and operational reforms to prevent similar incidents.
The party said the Commission should be chaired by an independent person with judicial expertise and experience and supported by international maritime and emergency management experts. It also proposed that hearings be conducted publicly wherever possible and that the Commission be vested with full powers to compel witnesses and documents.
Maintaining that the tragedy required more than expressions of sympathy, the AFC said it demanded accountability, transparency and meaningful reforms to restore public confidence in Guyana’s maritime safety system and prevent a recurrence.
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