Opposition lawmaker Natasha Singh was released on G$200,000 bail Wednesday after being detained by police during a nighttime operation involving Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed and other Members of Parliament, deepening tensions between Guyana’s opposition and the security forces.
Singh confirmed her release on social media about an hour before publication, saying she had seen the messages from people concerned about her detention but was not yet ready to give a full account.
“Hey guys I have noted your concerns about what the Police has done to me. I Will be fine at some point. I just want to let you know that I was granted bail in the sum of 200,000. I will get some sleep and food and then we will discuss what really happened.”
Her detention followed a late-night encounter involving a vessel carrying Mohamed and several opposition lawmakers near Friendship on the Demerara River.
The Guyana Police Force said a joint patrol involving police and Coast Guard personnel spotted the vessel travelling at high speed and signalled it to stop. Police said the vessel did not comply, leading to a pursuit that ended at a Friendship wharf. Officers also reported seeing a bag being thrown into the river.
Opposition officials have disputed that account, saying the vessel had already docked when police arrived and that there had been no pursuit. They have questioned the legal basis for the detention of the lawmakers and the seizure of the vessel.
Authorities have also said a licensed firearm belonging to another opposition lawmaker was found during a search of the vessel. Singh was detained, although authorities have not publicly detailed the precise grounds on which she was held.
The Maritime Administration Department (MARAD) subsequently said that neither Mohamed nor the vessel was licensed or authorised to operate in Guyana’s waters. Mohamed was later released on G$100,000 bail, according to local reports.
The lawmakers were returning to Georgetown after travelling to Region One, where they met residents and people affected by the July 18 sinking of the MV Barima. The disaster has triggered widespread demands for answers over maritime safety, government oversight and the handling of public infrastructure projects.
The incident at Friendship has therefore taken place against a politically charged backdrop. Opposition figures have been pressing the Government over the Barima disaster and the continued failure to complete the G$1.4 billion Port Kaituma waterfront project, which was intended to improve maritime access to the region.
During the unfolding incident, Amanza Walton, the lone parliamentarian of the Forward Guyana Movement, (FGM) called on the security forces to act with “professional composure, restraint and complete political impartiality.” She also urged the Speaker of the National Assembly to establish the safety and legal status of the lawmakers involved.
The Government and security agencies have maintained that enforcement officers were acting within their legal authority and have not indicated that the lawmakers were entitled to exemption from ordinary law enforcement.
For Singh, the next step appears to be providing her own account of the events. Her message suggested that she intends to speak publicly after resting and getting something to eat.
The episode has already raised broader questions about maritime enforcement, police powers, the treatment of opposition lawmakers and the potential for law enforcement disputes to become entangled with political tensions.
With the authorities and opposition offering sharply different accounts of how the confrontation unfolded, Singh’s promised explanation could provide another important perspective on an incident that has quickly become a national political issue.
