In separate statements issued on Monday, the Institute for Action Against Discrimination (IFAAD) and the Alliance For Change (AFC) significantly escalated pressure on the Government over the deadly MV Barima disaster, calling for the resignation or immediate removal of Public Works Minister Bishop Juan Edghill and demanding an independent investigation into what is rapidly becoming one of Guyana’s worst maritime tragedies in recent history
The MV Barima, an 87-year-old vessel, capsized late Saturday night while sailing from Georgetown to Port Kaituma with 133 people on board—116 passengers and 17 crew members. Search and rescue operations remain ongoing as authorities, the Guyana Defence Force Coast Guard, emergency responders and private boat operators continue efforts to locate those still missing.
While both organisations extended condolences to the victims and their families and commended those involved in the rescue effort, they argued that the tragedy has exposed serious questions about the State’s oversight of maritime safety that can no longer be ignored.
IFAAD said that while “the immediate priority remains saving lives and supporting affected families,” there must also be accountability.
The organisation noted that the Ministry of Public Works is responsible for oversight of Guyana’s maritime transportation system and said the disaster raises “serious questions about safety standards, vessel inspections, emergency preparedness, passenger protection, and regulatory enforcement.”
The statement comes after Minister Edghill publicly indicated that preliminary reports suggest the vessel encountered a large wave before capsizing.
However, IFAAD argued that adverse weather and sea conditions are precisely the kinds of risks maritime authorities are expected to anticipate and mitigate through effective regulation, operational protocols and enforcement.
“These questions cannot be ignored,” the organisation said, adding that Guyanese “deserve to know whether every precaution was taken to prevent this tragedy.”
In light of these concerns, IFAAD called on Minister Edghill to step down and accept ministerial responsibility while “a full, transparent, and independent investigation is conducted.”
“This is not about politics; it is about responsibility,” the organisation stated. “In any functioning democracy, ministers are expected to accept responsibility when major failures occur within their portfolio, particularly where lives have been placed at risk.”
IFAAD is also demanding a full independent investigation into the sinking, the public release of all inspection, maintenance, licensing and safety records relating to the MV Barima, and a comprehensive review of Guyana’s maritime safety regulations to prevent similar tragedies.
The AFC echoed those calls but urged even stronger action, calling on President Irfaan Ali to immediately remove both Minister Edghill and Maritime Administration Department (MARAD) Director-General Stephen Thomas to safeguard the integrity of any investigation.
The party is also demanding the establishment of a Commission of Inquiry under the Commission of Inquiry Act to conduct what it described as a comprehensive examination of every aspect of the tragedy.
According to the AFC, the Commission should investigate eleven critical areas, including the vessel’s condition, the voyage, weather and sea conditions, the captain and crew, safety equipment and emergency preparedness, the sequence of 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 specific issues the party wants examined are the seaworthiness of the MV Barima, why it was deployed instead of the MV MA Lisha, the qualifications and conduct of the captain and crew, the adequacy of life-saving equipment, possible alcohol or drug use, passenger and cargo manifests, weather assessments, and whether emergency procedures were properly followed.
The AFC also wants investigators to scrutinise the Government’s response after the vessel capsized, including the speed 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 mobilised without delay.
In addition, the party is calling for an assessment of MARAD and other regulatory agencies to determine whether systemic failures or negligence contributed to the disaster, with comparisons to international maritime safety standards and recommendations for legislative, regulatory and operational reforms.
The AFC proposed that the Commission of Inquiry be chaired by an independent person with judicial expertise and supported by international maritime and emergency management specialists. It also recommended that hearings be conducted publicly wherever possible and that the Commission be vested with full powers to compel witnesses and documents.
“The MV Barima tragedy requires more than expressions of sympathy,” the party stated. “It requires accountability, transparency and meaningful reforms to restore public confidence in Guyana’s maritime safety system and to ensure such a disaster is never repeated.”
The coordinated demands from IFAAD and the AFC significantly raise the political stakes surrounding the disaster, placing renewed scrutiny on the Government’s management of the country’s maritime transportation system and intensifying calls for accountability over whether regulatory failures, inadequate oversight or lapses in safety enforcement contributed to the loss of life.
