Families of people still missing following the MV Barima tragedy returned to the streets Tuesday morning, gathering outside the Main Street office of Minister of Public Utilities and Aviation Deodat Indar as another week passed without answers about their loved ones.
The protesters, joined by activists and supporters, held placards and directed a series of angry chants at government officials, including “Float the boat!”, Float the boat even if it is the bones to show!” “Bring up the evidence!” , “Edghill and Indar must go!” among other chants.
As a convoy carrying Prime Minister Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips approached the Prime Minister’s official residence on Main Street, families and supporters directed their chants toward the convoy as it entered the residence.
Among those continuing to demand answers is Royston Frank, whose son Rawle remains missing. Frank is seeking the recovery of his son’s remains, leaving the family unable to obtain the closure it has been seeking since the July 18 disaster.
The protest reflects mounting pressure from families who want the government to recover the sunken vessel, arguing that the MV Barima could contain both remains and physical evidence that may help establish what happened before the vessel capsized.
The vessel sank on July 18 while travelling from Georgetown to Port Kaituma. Government figures subsequently presented to the National Assembly indicated that 179 people were aboard. Seventy-six survived, 73 bodies were recovered and about 30 people remained unaccounted for.
The active search and recovery operation was later brought to an end, while questions continued over the fate of those who remained missing and the circumstances surrounding the disaster.
The demand to “Float the boat!” has since become a recurring feature of protests by relatives of victims. Families say recovering the wreck is important not only because additional remains could potentially be found, but because the vessel itself may provide evidence relevant to determining how and why the tragedy occurred.
The government has established a Commission of Inquiry into the disaster. Its terms include examining the circumstances surrounding the capsizing and sinking, the deaths, the government’s response, compliance with safety requirements and possible failures or shortcomings.
Tuesday’s protest, however, demonstrated that patience among some relatives is wearing thin.
The chant “Bring up the evidence!” underscored their demand that the investigation be supported by physical evidence from the wreck rather than relying solely on testimony and records.
The calls for Indar and Public Works Minister Juan Edghill to leave office also reflected the protesters’ dissatisfaction with the government’s handling of the tragedy.
For relatives such as Frank, however, the issue remains deeply personal. The demand to recover the vessel is tied directly to the search for loved ones who have not returned home.
As the protesters confronted another week of uncertainty, their message to government was unmistakable: “Float the boat” and bring back the evidence — and the missing.
