Forward Guyana Movement (FGM) Leader Amanza Walton has called on Guyanese to remember the human cost of the MV Barima tragedy after meeting the three Transport and Harbours Department employees charged with murder over the disaster, a prosecution that continues to draw criticism from civil society groups, trade unions and members of the legal fraternity.
Walton, accompanied by Attorney-at-Law Dexter Todd, visited Captain Kevin Price, Chief Mate Rondell Dwayne Roberts, and Goods Superintendent Delon Granderson on Wednesday. The three men remain on remand after being jointly charged with murder in connection with the July 18 sinking of the state-owned ferry. They are scheduled to return to court on August 3.
In a statement issued after the visits, Walton said she would not disclose the substance of the discussions.
“Out of respect for the integrity of the legal process, I will not comment on the substance of our discussions,” she said.
She disclosed, however, that the three men are physically well but emotionally devastated by the catastrophe.
“I can, however, confirm that all three are in good physical health. They remain deeply distressed and are grieving the loss of their colleagues and fellow Guyanese in this national tragedy. I can further confirm that they are receiving psychosocial support.“
The 87-year-old MV Barima capsized off Guyana’s northwestern coast while sailing from Georgetown to Port Kaituma on July 18. Authorities have since determined that approximately 179 people were aboard the vessel, including passengers and crew. Seventy-six people survived, while 73 bodies have been recovered, leaving 30 people still unaccounted for, making it one of the worst maritime disasters in Guyana’s history.
The tragedy has sparked widespread demands for accountability, with questions raised about the vessel’s seaworthiness, maintenance history, passenger manifest, and regulatory oversight. The Government has since established an international Commission of Inquiry to examine the circumstances surrounding the sinking.
The criminal charges, however, have become a separate source of controversy.
The Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC), several civil society organisations, and legal commentators have questioned the decision by the Director of Public Prosecutions to recommend murder charges against the three Transport and Harbours Department employees, arguing that the offence of murder traditionally requires proof that the accused possessed the legal intent—known in common law as malice aforethought—to cause death.
Questions have also been raised about whether frontline employees are being unfairly singled out while broader issues remain, including the vessel’s condition, inspection regime, maintenance records and the role of senior officials responsible for maritime safety, remain under scrutiny.
Walton did not comment on the legal merits of the prosecution but appealed for empathy as the case moves through the courts.
“The MV Barima tragedy has left no one untouched. As the legal process unfolds, let us remember that, beyond the proceedings, there are human beings carrying the weight of an immense national loss.”
Her intervention marks one of the strongest appeals by a political leader for compassion toward the accused, shifting the focus from the courtroom to the profound emotional toll the disaster has taken on everyone connected to one of Guyana’s darkest peacetime tragedies.
