Women’s rights organisation Red Thread yesterday called for the immediate resignation of Minister of Public Works Juan Edghill over the sinking of the MV Barima, while also demanding an independent Commission of Inquiry into the July 19 tragedy.
In a statement, the organisation said the country remained “reeling” from the disaster, which claimed dozens of lives, and expressed solidarity with survivors, grieving families and those still awaiting the recovery of missing relatives.
“Red Thread stands in grief with all those survivors who will forever relive the terrifying hours at sea, all whose loved ones died in this unimaginable tragedy, all those who gather to say a final farewell, all those who are still waiting for word, for a family member or members to be found and returned to them,” the statement said.
It said the tragedy required full transparency and accountability, beginning with determining the circumstances that led to the capsizing of the vessel.
The organisation also defended the right of citizens to seek answers and criticised what it described as attempts to stifle scrutiny.
“Guyanese are rightly grief-stricken, upset. We have a right to ask questions and get answers without being attacked as seeking political mileage,” it said, while also arguing that the media should be allowed to question public officials without being excluded from press briefings and that citizens should be able to protest peacefully without fear of police intervention.
Red Thread called on Edghill to resign immediately, arguing that as the minister responsible for the Ministry of Public Works he should accept responsibility for the tragedy.
“If Minister Edghill does not resign he should be removed from his position by the President of Guyana. He is the line Minister and taking responsibility starts with him,” the organisation said.
It added that his continued presence in office while the country mourns was “disgraceful and disrespectful.”
The organisation said Edghill’s removal should be the first step towards rebuilding public confidence in the investigation into the sinking.
It also called for an independent Commission of Inquiry with broad public confidence to examine all aspects of the tragedy, including compliance with International Maritime Organization standards and maritime safety requirements applicable to the MV Barima.
According to Red Thread, the commission should be constituted with the involvement of all parliamentary representatives and include regional and international experts. It said the inquiry should hear evidence from survivors, persons familiar with travel conditions aboard the vessel, and those involved in search and recovery operations.
The organisation also called for an independent forensic assessment of the vessel to determine its seaworthiness and said the inquiry should address compensation, possible civil and criminal liability for negligence and the implementation of stricter maritime safety standards.
Red Thread has also launched an online petition calling for Edghill’s removal and urged supporters to campaign on social media using the hashtag #juanedghillmustgo.
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