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标签： Guyana

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  • MV Barima’s murder charges trumped up to cover officials’ failures – chief mate’s friends

    MV Barima’s murder charges trumped up to cover officials’ failures – chief mate’s friends

    On Sunday evening, August 2, 2026, dozens of supporters including family members, friends, and local residents gathered outside the Grove, East Bank Demerara home of Rondell Dwayne Roberts, the first mate of the sunken Guyanese ferry MV Barima, to stage a solidarity demonstration. The 42-year-old father of three, along with two other marine and transport officials, is currently facing 72 counts of murder in connection with the July 18 sinking that has been linked to an estimated 102 unconfirmed fatalities out of 179 total passengers and crew on board. Protesters argue the charges against the trio are fabricated to deflect blame from senior government officials who they claim bear ultimate responsibility for the disaster.

    Protesters carried hand-painted placards bearing slogans calling for transparency, accountability, and the immediate release of all three accused men. Beyond calling for Roberts’ exoneration, demonstrators also demanded justice for vessel captain Kevin “KP” Price, 40, of Melanie Damishana, East Coast Demerara, and Delon Granderson, 33, a Transport and Harbours Department goods superintendent based in Fellowship, West Coast Demerara. Additional slogans pressed officials to salvage the sunken ferry to retrieve submerged evidence, called for the dismissal of senior government leaders linked to maritime oversight, and highlighted the need for closure for the families of both the accused and the victims.

    One close friend of Roberts told Demerara Waves Online News that the entire community is convinced he has been wrongfully accused and wrongfully imprisoned. A female friend of the first mate reiterated that sentiment, stressing that accountability must start with the senior government officials in charge of maritime regulation and safety. “They just can’t put all the blame on a low-level employee. That is plain injustice, and all the critical evidence is still sitting at the bottom of the water,” she stated.

    Dr Dexter Todd, the attorney representing the accused, confirmed last week that he intends to file a legal challenge disputing the legality of the murder charges. Picket participant Morti also forcefully refuted unconfirmed reports that Roberts had tested positive for marijuana use while on duty aboard the ferry. “This boy does not smoke or drink. He would only drink a Vita Malt, he doesn’t even smoke cigarettes,” Morti said. “He never got out of bed that morning to go to work and kill anyone.”

    Supporters of the accused uniformly back the plan to salvage the MV Barima from its resting place nine miles offshore, arguing that retrieving the vessel is the only way to uncover conclusive evidence of what caused the sinking and identify all parties responsible, including senior government decision-makers. “The proof of what happened is right there on that boat,” one friend of Roberts explained. “Bring it up so everyone can see the evidence. If the evidence from the vessel proves they are guilty, then justice will be served. But right now, we’re being denied that proof.” Morti went a step further, proposing that once salvaged, the ferry could be brought ashore and converted into a permanent memorial to honor the lives lost during the voyage from Georgetown to Port Kaituma, instead of constructing a memorial at sea.

    Director of Public Prosecutions Shalimar Hack has defended the decision to bring charges, stating that her office recommended prosecuting the three men based on submitted evidence, binding legal principles, relevant case law from the United Kingdom, Commonwealth jurisdictions, and the European Court of Human Rights, as well as broader public policy considerations.

    Sunday’s demonstration marks the third public protest held in support of the accused in recent weeks, with previous rallies taking place in Melanie Damishana and Den Amstel, West Coast Demerara. Separately on Sunday, Deodat Indar, the minister responsible for maritime administration, confirmed that he had received intelligence that opposition supporters were planning a separate protest outside his personal residence.

    Multiple opposition groups including We Invest in Nationhood, A Partnership for National Unity, and Forward Guyana Movement, alongside the Amerindian People’s Association and other civil society activists, are currently calling for Indar and the country’s minister of maritime transportation to resign or be removed from office over the disaster. In response to growing public pressure, President Irfaan Ali has already taken two formal steps to investigate the incident: he has appointed a five-member Commission of Inquiry to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the sinking, and assembled a specialized technical team to review existing safety and compliance standards for all vessels operating in Guyana’s waters. The technical review team includes former Maritime Administration Department Director-General Dr. Ivor English, Guyana Defense Force Colonel Julius Skeete, and experienced marine officer and ship surveyor Captain Joseph Lewis.

  • AFC recommends captains refuse to operate ferries if faulty

    AFC recommends captains refuse to operate ferries if faulty

    ### Updated: Friday, 31 July 2026, 21:25 By Denis Chabrol

    Weeks after the fatal July 19 capsizing of the MV Barima killed more than 100 passengers and crew off Guyana’s coast, political opposition and civil society activists escalated public pressure on the Guyanese government during a 100-person protest outside the Office of the President on Friday. The demonstration centers on demands for full accountability, immediate salvage of the sunken vessel, and broader safety reforms for the country’s state-operated ferry network.

    Addressing protesters from the picket line, David Patterson, leader of the opposition Alliance For Change (AFC), issued a direct warning to captains and senior crew of all ferries run by the state’s Transport and Harbours Department (T&HD): refuse to sail any vessel that you deem unfit for service. He reminded crews that three of their colleagues already face unprecedented murder charges over the MV Barima disaster, a stark departure from the negligence charges that typically follow maritime accidents.

    The three charged crew members—40-year-old captain Kevin “KP” Price from Melanie Damishana, 42-year-old chief mate Rondell Dwayne Roberts from Grove Public Road, and 33-year-old goods superintendent Delon Granderson from Fellowship—all face the same severe criminal charges. Patterson stressed that captains who choose to operate a known defective vessel put themselves at equal legal risk. “If you take a boat that you know is defective, sail it, and a tragedy happens, authorities will frame the incident as if you intentionally meant to harm people,” he said. “You won’t just face negligence charges—you’ll be charged with murder, just like your three colleagues.”

    Beyond his warning, Patterson shared practical guidance for ferry crews to protect themselves: formally document all safety concerns about vessel conditions in writing to senior officials, including the Minister of Public Works, and require all orders to sail in unsafe conditions to be provided in writing. “If something goes wrong, you will have clear proof that you followed official instructions,” he explained. Holding a protest placard reading “Salvage MV Barima”, Patterson also revealed he has already been in contact with a marine salvage firm based in the United Kingdom, which has outlined a salvage plan that would cost far less than the Guyana government’s current US$8 million estimated price tag.

    Patterson also pushed back against any suggestions that political leadership had previously pressured crews to cut safety corners, noting that when he served as Minister of Public Infrastructure, he never ordered any captain to overrule their own safety concerns or force vessels to carry excess cargo beyond safe limits.

    The call for salvage has gained broad support across Guyanese civil society, including from prominent Guyanese international environmental activist Janet Bulkan, who joined Friday’s protest. Bulkan emphasized that the sunken ferry itself is critical evidence for the ongoing investigation, calling it the “murder weapon” at the center of the criminal case against the three crew members. “If authorities are pressing murder charges against these men, we need the vessel raised to get the full truth,” she told Demerara Waves Online News. She added that recovering the ferry would also give closure to the families of the over 100 victims, allowing them to bury their loved ones properly. Bulkan also noted that the investigation must follow the formal requirements laid out in Guyana’s Shipping Act and the international Safety Of Life At Sea (SOLAS) Convention.

    In response to recent comments from Prime Minister Mark Phillips that the government would only salvage the vessel if victim families request it, Bulkan pushed back, arguing that such a major decision should not be left solely to grieving families. Instead, she said, it should be made by a multi-stakeholder group including investigators, legal representatives, civil society leaders and family advocates.

    One young protester at Friday’s demonstration carried a placard calling for the resignation of Public Works Minister Juan Edghill, and defended that demand in an interview. “The Ministry of Public Works has a legal and moral responsibility to provide safe, reliable public transportation for every Guyanese citizen,” she said. “Over 100 people died simply trying to travel to their destinations. This is the result of gross negligence, incompetence and complacency. If Minister Edghill truly considers himself an honorable person, the only honorable step he can take right now is to resign.”

    In response to growing public outcry, President Irfaan Ali has approved a formal Commission of Inquiry to conduct a full, wide-ranging probe into the MV Barima tragedy. On Friday, Ali appointed three experts to lead the inquiry’s review of maritime safety compliance: Dr. Ivor English, former Director-General of the Maritime Administration Department (MARAD); Colonel Julius Skeete of the Guyana Defense Force; and Captain Joseph Lewis, a veteran marine officer and ship surveyor. The commission’s mandate includes examining whether existing maritime safety rules were followed, and making actionable recommendations to strengthen regulatory oversight, improve enforcement, and bring Guyana’s vessel operations, operator protocols and regulatory systems up to the highest achievable international standards for safety and accountability.

  • MV Barima Inquiry Commissioners sworn in, media not invited

    MV Barima Inquiry Commissioners sworn in, media not invited

    On Thursday, July 30, 2026, a five-member international Commission of Inquiry officially took office to investigate the sinking of the Guyanese ferry MV Barima, a maritime disaster that occurred earlier this month that has left more than 100 people unaccounted for or confirmed dead. The closed-door swearing-in ceremony, which notably excluded media presence, was overseen by Chief Justice Judy Latchman and attended by Guyana President Irfaan Ali, who appointed the panel. Commission Chairman Justice Godfrey Philip Smith, a veteran judicial official from Belize who also serves as the CARICOM High Level Representative for Law and Criminal Justice and an ad hoc judge of the Eastern Caribbean Court of Appeal, completed his oath of office remotely.

    The disaster, one of the deadliest maritime incidents in Guyana’s recent history, unfolded when the MV Barima sank with 179 passengers and crew members on board. To date, rescue teams have recovered 72 fatalities, rescued 76 survivors, and 31 people remain missing, bringing the unofficial total of lives lost to over 100. In the weeks since the sinking, three people – the ferry’s captain, chief mate, and the Transport and Harbours Department’s Goods Superintendent – have been charged with murder, though Prime Minister Mark Phillips has publicly stated he does not believe the incident was a deliberate act of killing.

    President Ali defended the panel’s credibility in remarks following the ceremony, emphasizing that the commission brings together cross-disciplinary maritime experts from across the Caribbean and Europe to deliver a rigorous, unbiased investigation. “This Commission meets the highest benchmarks of independence, impartiality, and objectivity,” he said, noting that Guyana’s people deserve a full, transparent accounting of what led to the tragedy to prevent similar losses in the future. The head of state also committed that the Guyanese government would allocate full administrative, technical, financial and logistical resources to support the inquiry, saying “Every resource required to facilitate a thorough, professional, and independent inquiry will be made available.”

    The commission’s broad mandate covers multiple core objectives: establishing an authoritative factual record of the sinking, analyzing the root causes and contributing factors behind the disaster, assessing whether all relevant parties complied with existing maritime laws and operational safety standards, evaluating the effectiveness of the initial search, rescue and body recovery operations, identifying systemic or operational shortcomings and failures that led to the incident, and drafting targeted recommendations to strengthen the safety and resilience of Guyana’s entire maritime transportation system. “The nation awaits such report. The families who have suffered unimaginable loss await these answers,” President Ali added.

    The inquiry panel is composed of highly credentialed international experts with deep specialized experience in maritime affairs. Joining Chairman Smith are Dr. Andre Jesse Anungski, a Polish naval architect and marine engineer who has consulted on investigations into numerous major global maritime disasters; Captain Hamada Fauda, a senior maritime surveyor and compliance auditor with Jamaica’s Maritime Authority; Nairi Dawn Alfonso, an attorney from Trinidad and Tobago specializing in admiralty and maritime law; and retired Rear Admiral Hayden Pritchard, also from Trinidad and Tobago, who brings decades of hands-on experience in maritime operations and security. As of the swearing-in date, the government has not yet announced a appointment to the role of Commission Secretary.

    Despite the President’s assurances of the panel’s impartiality, public questions have already emerged about the transparency of the process and the potential for bias among the commissioners. The decision to bar media from the official swearing-in ceremony has fueled concerns about openness in the inquiry, which carries high stakes for the families of victims and Guyana’s maritime regulatory reform moving forward.

  • Protests against murder charge for MV Barima captain, others; Indigenous Amerindians among activists picketing President’s office

    Protests against murder charge for MV Barima captain, others; Indigenous Amerindians among activists picketing President’s office

    On Wednesday, July 29, 2026, widespread coordinated protests broke out across Guyana, sparked by public outrage over murder charges filed against three Transport and Harbours Department (T&HD) employees in the deadly July 18 sinking of the MV Barima passenger vessel. The disaster has left 72 people confirmed dead and another 30 missing, presumed drowned, and protesters are demanding both accountability for senior government officials and justice for the accused workers.

    Demonstrations were held at three key locations: two coastal road sites on Demerara’s East and West coasts, and a mass picket outside the Office of the President in Georgetown. At Den Amstel Public Road on West Coast Demerara, roughly 30 demonstrators gathered in solidarity with 33-year-old Delon Granderson, a T&HD Goods Superintendent from Fellowship. Carrying hand-painted placards, protesters chanted “jail the criminals, free the innocent,” and called for the immediate removal of two senior cabinet members: Juan Edghill, the minister responsible for maritime transportation, and Deodat Indar, minister of maritime regulation. Placard messages included “wrongly accused, wrongly judged,” “free Delon Granderson,” and direct accusations that the two ministers “sank the evidence.”

    A separate protest at Melanie Damishana Public Road on East Coast Demerara centered on support for 40-year-old MV Barima captain Kevin “KP” Price, a local villager. Protesters there joined calls to release Price, Granderson, and the third accused, Chief Mate Rondell Dwayne Roberts, while also condemning the government for what they called selective justice. Demonstrators drew a contrast between the swift murder charges against the T&HD workers and the ongoing lack of progress in the death investigation of Adrianna Young, whose body was recovered from a hotel pool in Tuschen, East Bank Essequibo. Protesters chanted that “Anil Nandlall and the DPP were silent with Adrianna’s case but they suddenly have voice,” rejecting claims of equal treatment under the law.

    The three accused workers—Granderson, Price, and Roberts, 42, of Grove Public Road, East Bank Demerara—were formally charged with the murder of the 72 confirmed victims of the July 18 sinking, when the overloaded passenger vessel went down in rough coastal waters overnight.

    Outside the Office of the President, a larger coalition demonstration brought together Indigenous Amerindians organized by the Amerindian People’s Association (APA), joined by civil society activists, opposition politicians, and ordinary members of the public. Many of the victims of the sinking were Indigenous people traveling to coastal communities, leading protesters to highlight systemic neglect of Indigenous safety and rights. Placards carried messages including “indigenous lives matter,” “our First People deserve first class treatment,” and calls to hold senior leaders accountable for the disaster. One protester told Demerara Waves that the tragedy exposed deep-rooted failures across Guyana’s entire public transportation system, both on land and at sea. “It is reckless, it is lawless and the protocols are not in place. The same thing translates on the sea,” he said, calling for full systemic reform and stricter enforcement of safety rules to protect all Guyanese commuters.

    Representatives from three opposition groups—We Invest in Nationhood (WIN), the People’s National Congress Reform/ A Partnership for National Unity, and the Alliance For Change—joined the demonstration, with unarmed police maintaining a presence at the site. Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed reiterated a longstanding demand for the MV Barima wreck to be salvaged, arguing that recovering the vessel is the only way to recover remaining victims, give grieving families closure, and uncover the full truth of the disaster. He accused the government of blocking salvage efforts to avoid accountability, saying “they know they will be held accountable.” Mohamed also announced he had assembled a team of lawyers to secure substantial compensation for survivors and bereaved families, and revealed plans to organize rolling protests across all 10 of Guyana’s administrative regions in the coming weeks.

    The murder charges have split official response, even within the government. On Tuesday, Prime Minister Mark Phillips publicly stated he did not believe the captain and his crew had any intention to kill the passengers on board. Lawyers for the accused have already argued there is no evidence of premeditation or intent to kill required for a murder conviction. But Director of Public Prosecutions Shalimar Hack defended her decision to recommend the elevated charges, saying the decision was rooted in evidence presented to her office, relevant legal principles, binding case law from the United Kingdom, other Commonwealth jurisdictions, and the European Court of Human Rights, as well as broader public policy considerations.

    For his part, President Irfaan Ali has continued to hold one-on-one meetings with survivors and bereaved families, posting on his official Facebook page Wednesday that he remains committed to standing with affected communities through their healing process, beyond just the immediate aftermath of the disaster. “I continued my one-on-one engagements with survivors and families affected by the MV Barima tragedy,” he wrote, adding that the meetings uphold his earlier commitment to ensure all families receive the care, support, and assistance they need.

    Prime Minister Phillips clarified earlier this week that any final decision on salvaging the MV Barima will be guided by the wishes of victim families. He rejected opposition claims of a government cover-up, saying “Government has nothing to hide. I can tell you up front, we have nothing to hide.” He also denied that the government was pressuring families to oppose salvage efforts, and confirmed that no compensation would be offered to families before the Commission of Inquiry investigating the tragedy releases its final findings and recommendations.

  • Venezuelan, Colombian arrested in 55 kilo cocaine bust

    Venezuelan, Colombian arrested in 55 kilo cocaine bust

    In a major anti-narcotics operation in Guyana, one man has received a prison sentence and heavy fine after admitting to large-scale cocaine trafficking, while multiple other suspects remain in custody for ongoing investigations, the country’s Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) announced Wednesday. The operation was first launched on July 24, when CANU officers intercepted a moving vehicle along Providence Public Road, located in the East Bank Demerara region. Two men — Venezuelan national Gerardo Martinez and Colombian national Revelino Ascue — were taken into custody at the scene of the stop.

    A systematic search of the intercepted vehicle uncovered 50 tightly compressed, brick-shaped parcels containing cocaine, with a total recorded weight of 55.296 kilograms. A third Colombian suspect, whose identity has not been released in detail by authorities, has also entered a guilty plea to charges of possession of 56.296 kilograms of cocaine with intent to traffic, bringing the total seizure weight connected to the case to more than 56 kilograms.

    During a court hearing before Diamond Magistrate Dylon Bess, the guilty-pleading Colombian defendant was formally sentenced: he will serve four years behind bars and is required to pay a fine of 82,944,000 Guyanese dollars, equivalent to approximately $316,000 USD. Martinez, the second suspect arrested in the July 24 vehicle stop, has entered a not guilty plea to the trafficking charges against him. He has been remanded to prison as the legal process moves forward.

    In addition to the two men arrested during the vehicle stop, CANU confirmed that multiple other individuals — including both foreign nationals and Guyanese citizens — are currently being held as the agency continues its probe into what authorities believe is a coordinated cross-border drug trafficking ring operating in the region. CANU, a specialized law enforcement division under Guyana’s Ministry of Home Affairs, has not released additional details on the other suspects or the broader investigation timeline as of Wednesday’s update.

  • Govt willing to leave MV Barima on sea floor even if there is useful evidence for probe

    Govt willing to leave MV Barima on sea floor even if there is useful evidence for probe

    As of Tuesday, July 28, 2026, Guyana’s Prime Minister Mark Phillips has confirmed that multiple international firms have offered to salvage the sunken ferry MV Barima, but the final call on whether to raise the wreckage will be determined entirely by the families of missing passengers. The sunken vessel is believed to hold the remains of unaccounted-for occupants and key physical evidence that will feed into the official Commission of Inquiry into the sinking, but the government has prioritized family preferences over immediate recovery, Phillips said at a recent press conference.

    When pressed on whether the government’s delay to order salvage was an attempt to suppress concrete evidence of potential engine failure that would be uncovered from a full inspection of the vessel, Phillips denied the accusation but did not provide a direct response. Both Phillips and Captain John Flores, Emergency Operations Coordinator at the Maritime Search and Rescue Coordination Centre, have argued that the inquiry can still draw conclusions from survivor and crew testimony even if the wreckage and its engine are never recovered. “Even if you don’t pull the boat and the engine out for inspection, crew and passengers can testify to whether the engine stalled or required emergency repairs at sea,” Phillips explained. “From that testimony, the commission can still draw conclusions about any underlying problems. This can work either way.”

    The government is currently circulating a questionnaire among family members of victims asking whether they support salvaging the MV Barima or prefer to leave the wreck on the seabed as a permanent memorial site. Phillips emphasized that the administration stands ready to honor whatever decision the families reach. “We already have multiple formal offers for salvage on the table, but at this stage, the wishes of the families are the only priority,” he said. “If families indicate they would prefer for the site to remain undisturbed as a memorial, we will move forward with that option.”

    In response to questions about why the government would defer to families when the wreck holds critical evidence about the state of the vessel’s engines, navigation equipment and other factors tied to the sinking’s cause, Phillips reiterated that the government is committed to uncovering the full truth while also respecting the needs of grieving relatives. He added that President Irfaan Ali has held multiple direct meetings with families of survivors and the 30 passengers still listed as missing, and the choice between a memorial and salvage has been a core topic of those discussions.

    Phillips pushed back firmly against speculation that the government is attempting to cover up details of the sinking, and denied claims that officials are quietly pressuring families to oppose salvage. “The government has nothing to hide. I can say that clearly and upfront: we have nothing to hide,” he stated. When asked if the administration was trying to persuade families to support leaving the wreck in place, he replied, “No, no, no. Government is not trying to convince anybody to say anything.” He also declined to answer a specific question about which party first floated the idea of a seabed memorial.

    Beyond questions of salvage, Phillips acknowledged that the Public Works Ministry had lost multiple all-terrain vehicles, fuel, and other supplies when the ferry sank. Unconfirmed reports also indicate an unregistered large generator was among the heavy cargo aboard the vessel. When it comes to lingering questions about whether the MV Barima was overloaded when it sank, Phillips said that determination will be left to the Commission of Inquiry. “From the very start, the government has acknowledged that there are multiple discrepancies in the existing information about this incident,” he said. “There have been public statements that the vessel was not overloaded, but the fact that we have already identified one inconsistency means there may be others that need to be fully examined.”

    In a separate announcement, the Prime Minister confirmed that once the Commission of Inquiry begins its work, the government will cover all transportation costs to bring witnesses from across the country to give testimony.

  • DPP defends instituting murder charges against MV Barima captain, others

    DPP defends instituting murder charges against MV Barima captain, others

    On Tuesday, 28 July 2026, Guyana’s top prosecutorial official Shalimar Hack, Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), has stood by the decision to file murder charges against three crew members of the ferry MV Barima, while openly acknowledging the vessel had critical flaws in its navigation and safety infrastructure. The case has sparked sharp debate over the legal grounding of the charges and their potential impact on an upcoming independent public inquiry into the tragedy.

    Hacking explained that the decision to pursue murder charges followed a comprehensive review of available evidence, applicable legal principles, binding precedent from the United Kingdom, Commonwealth legal jurisdictions, the European Court of Human Rights, and broader public policy priorities. Notably, she did not directly address the core legal requirements for a murder conviction: proving criminal intent and malice aforethought against the three accused — 40-year-old captain Kevin Price of Melanie Damishana, East Coast Demerara; 42-year-old chief mate Rondell Dwayne Roberts of Grove Public Road, East Bank Demerara; and 33-year-old goods superintendent Delon Granderson of Fellowship, West Coast Demerara.

    Earlier the same day, defense attorneys Nigel Hughes and Darren Wade publicly raised urgent concerns over what they described as the fundamental weakness of the murder charges. The pair also questioned the timing and motive of the charges ahead of the upcoming Commission of Inquiry (COI), which will be led by a panel of Caribbean and international maritime experts.

    In a public Facebook post, Hughes outlined a key critique: if the three accused are formally charged with murder, they are likely to exercise their right to remain silent during the COI, out of concern that any testimony they give could be used as evidence against them in the subsequent criminal trial. This would leave critical questions about the tragedy unanswered before the inquiry, he argued.

    Hacking pushed back against these concerns, emphasizing that the upcoming independent inquiry established by Guyana’s President will not interfere with the criminal prosecution. She noted that parallel proceedings have functioned successfully in previous high-profile Guyanese cases, including 2018 piracy charges connected to the Berbice incident and fraud charges stemming from the 2020 Regional and General Elections, pointing to precedent for simultaneous processes.

    “Given the unprecedented magnitude of this matter, coupled with public interest factors, the prosecution will be conducted with due consideration of the work of the Commission of Inquiry,” Hack added.

    Under Article 187 of the Constitution of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions is an independent body that operates free from direction or control by any other government authority or individual. The DPP holds statutory authority to initiate and oversee criminal proceedings against any person accused of violating Guyanese law, and maintains full control over all such prosecutorial processes.

    In line with these constitutional powers, Hack confirmed that her office conducted a full review of the investigative file compiled by the Guyana Police Force into the MV Barima tragedy, and formally advised law enforcement to file the murder charges that are now the subject of public controversy.

  • MV Barima captain, others charged with murder of ferry passengers, crew

    MV Barima captain, others charged with murder of ferry passengers, crew

    Ten days after one of Guyana’s deadliest maritime disasters in recent history, three senior officials connected to the sunken ferry MV Barima have been formally charged with murder over the deaths of dozens of passengers and crew members, Guyanese police confirmed in an official announcement Tuesday.

    The three accused individuals, all employed by Guyana’s Transport and Harbour Department, include 40-year-old vessel captain Kevin Price, a resident of Melanie Damishana on the East Coast Demerara; 42-year-old chief mate Rondell Dwayne Roberts, who lives in Grove Public Road on the East Bank Demerara; and 33-year-old Delon Granderson, the department’s Goods Superintendent from Fellowship on the West Coast Demerara.

    Authorities confirmed the murder charges — filed under common law — were approved after the Guyana Police Force received formal legal guidance from the nation’s Director of Public Prosecutions. The charges are directly tied to the fatal sinking that unfolded July 18, when the MV Barima capsized in Atlantic waters off Guyana’s Essequibo Coast during a routine voyage.

    All three suspects made their initial court appearance Tuesday morning before Chief Magistrate Judy Latchman at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court, where the murder charges were formally read aloud. Under Guyanese judicial procedure, the accused were not required to enter a plea at this initial hearing, and all three were immediately remanded to state custody. The case has been transferred to the Charity Magistrate’s Court, with the next adjourned hearing scheduled for August 3, 2026.

    Revelations in the weeks following the sinking have already raised serious public questions about operational negligence on the vessel. Public Works Minister Juan Edghill confirmed shortly after the disaster that both the captain and a senior crew member tested positive for marijuana in toxicology screenings conducted within hours of the vessel going down.

    As of Monday, the official death toll and casualty count stands at 73 confirmed fatalities, with 76 people rescued alive from the Atlantic. Prime Minister Mark Phillips shared the updated figures during an address to Guyana’s National Assembly Monday, noting that at least 30 of the 179 total passengers and crew on board remain unaccounted for 10 days after the tragedy.

    The case has already sparked widespread public debate over maritime safety regulations and government oversight of ferry operations in Guyana, with calls for broader investigations into systemic gaps that may have contributed to the disaster.

  • Opposition MPs’ disrupt parliamentary sitting over MV Barima tragedy, but govt proceeds with agenda

    Opposition MPs’ disrupt parliamentary sitting over MV Barima tragedy, but govt proceeds with agenda

    On Monday, July 27 2026, Guyana’s National Assembly descended into chaotic disruption as a unified bloc of opposition lawmakers staged a mass protest to demand bipartisan concessions for an independent public inquiry into the sinking of the MV Barima ferry, a disaster that has left an estimated 100 people dead off the country’s Essequibo Coast.

    The July 18 sinking, which claimed the lives of scores of people—including more than 20 children, a majority of whom were Indigenous Amerindians—has sparked escalating anger at the ruling government over what critics call systemic neglect and a lack of accountability. The tragedy has put senior cabinet members under intense pressure to step down to make way for an unobstructed investigation.

    Led by the three main opposition groups—We Invest in Nationhood (WIN), A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and Forward Guyana Movement (FGM)—all opposition parliamentarians boycotted scheduled government business, including consideration of a GY$54.89 billion supplementary budget request and debate on the Guyana Development Bank Bill. When Speaker Manzoor Nadir called on opposition legislators to submit pre-scheduled questions to cabinet ministers, the lawmakers refused to respond.

    Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed rejected the Speaker’s offer of a five-minute address to the 65-seat chamber over the tragedy, telling reporters ahead of the sitting that the opposition would not stand by and allow what he called “wicked, deceitful and treacherous” conduct to violate the rights of affected Guyanese citizens. “We’ve had the biggest tragedy in Guyana, and no one should expect that business must go on as usual,” explained APNU parliamentary leader Dr. Terrence Campbell, confirming the opposition was acting as a unified bloc to force the government to abandon its routine agenda and prioritize the inquiry. “We are signalling to the government that it cannot be business as usual,” he added.

    Protesting lawmakers chanted demands for the resignations of two senior cabinet members: Public Works Minister Juan Edghill and Deodat Indar, the minister responsible for Guyana’s Maritime Administration (MARAD). The demonstrators banged on parliamentary tables and advanced toward the lectern where Attorney General Anil Nandlall was delivering a statement on the government’s response to the sinking on behalf of President Irfaan Ali and Prime Minister Mark Phillips, who was also present to outline the official timeline of events following the initial distress call.

    Nadir twice suspended the parliamentary sitting to open dialogue with the opposition, but the demonstrators refused to end their disruption. Each time the sitting resumed, opposition lawmakers closed in on government leaders at the lectern, forcing ruling party parliamentarians to form a protective shield around Nandlall and Phillips. Parliament’s Sergeant-at-Arms and two assistants were eventually called in to establish a buffer between the protesting opposition and the prime minister. Opposition legislators also occupied seating reserved for cabinet ministers during the budget consideration process, forcing the Speaker to reassign the ministers to alternate seats, while ruling party lawmakers positioned themselves around the chamber to anticipate further direct action from protesters.

    When Edghill left the Arthur Chung Conference Centre, which hosts the National Assembly sittings, he told reporters he would address calls for his resignation “at the appropriate time” as a small group of female supporters stood with him to offer comfort.

    The unrest was not limited to the parliamentary chamber. Outside the conference centre in Liliendaal, a small group of civilian protesters gathered to picket in solidarity with the opposition’s demands. Among them were Annette Ferguson, a former APNU+Alliance For Change parliamentarian, and prominent Indigenous Amerindian rights activist Laura George. George extended the opposition’s resignation calls to two Indigenous Amerindian cabinet ministers, Sarah Brown and Pauline Sukhai, noting that the majority of the ferry sinking victims were Indigenous people.

    “We lost more than 23 Guyanese children whose futures were taken away,” George told Demerara Waves, adding that the two Indigenous ministers cannot claim exemption from accountability for the tragedy. “As part of cabinet, we have Indigenous ministers. They also must be held accountable so I don’t want them to feel they are protected and insulated from this call for accountability. They are as culpable for this neglect of Indigenous Peoples—also as Indigenous women and mothers—so the call is for them to resign.” George also pointed to a striking lack of government action ahead of the disaster, noting that cabinet has met more than 300 times since 2020, yet the approval to launch the ferry for commercial service was never brought up for public discussion or scrutiny.

    Despite the widespread opposition protest and external public pressure, the ruling government has pushed forward with its scheduled legislative agenda, refusing to concede to demands for a bipartisan agreement on the terms of reference for the public inquiry before continuing other parliamentary business.

  • No more bodies from sunken ferry MV Barima in two days

    No more bodies from sunken ferry MV Barima in two days

    One week has passed since the Guyanese ferry MV Barima sank in waters off the country’s northeast coast, and recovery operations have hit a critical wall, official sources confirmed Sunday. French military divers deployed to assist in the search and recovery mission say extreme visibility constraints and hazardous conditions inside the sunken vessel have made further progress nearly impossible, leaving 30 passengers and crew still unaccounted for after two full days with no new bodies recovered.

    In a nearly three-minute video posted to Guyanese President Irfaan Ali’s official Facebook page, a French diving team member outlined the crippling challenges divers face at the wreck site. “We have to navigate the wreck entirely by touch — we are essentially blind,” the soldier explained. Tangled ropes and unsecured hammocks litter the interior of the sunken ferry, making route planning extremely dangerous, while thick layers of mud, shifting tides and strong persistent currents further obscure visibility and complicate movements. To date, divers have completed 15 separate dives to the wreck, but all attempts to systematically search the interior have been thwarted by these conditions.

    The diver added that even attempts to salvage the entire vessel to recover remains face major structural barriers. The wreck’s deteriorated condition means any large-scale lifting operation carries a high risk of the vessel breaking apart entirely, making salvage a logistical nightmare. “I think it’s very, very hard to do such a thing. The wreck is not very stable, so removing it intact is incredibly difficult,” he added.

    Multiple authoritative sources familiar with the ongoing operation have confirmed that no additional human remains have been located over the past 48 hours. Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed, who has joined local authorities in coordinating search efforts, echoed that assessment Sunday, confirming no new recoveries have been made.

    The most recent formal update on the disaster was released Friday evening by Guyana’s Prime Minister Mark Phillips, who confirmed at that time that the confirmed death toll stood at 73, 76 people had been rescued alive from the sinking, and 30 people remained missing. When contacted by reporters Sunday evening after he delivered opening remarks at a regional Caribbean Electric Utility Services Corporation (CARILEC) conference at Georgetown’s Marriott Hotel, Phillips initially declined to comment as he walked away from reporters, before offering a brief statement: “The search for bodies and the recovery continues. There has been no change in that,” he said, before moving on to attend the conference’s exhibition opening.

    A key discrepancy in passenger counts has added to the complexity of the recovery effort. The official vessel manifest listed 116 passengers and 17 crew members who boarded the MV Barima at Georgetown’s Kingston Goods Wharf for the voyage to Port Kaituma. However, after cross-referencing the manifest with the list of rescued passengers and reviewing security camera footage from the wharf, the Guyanese government now estimates that as many as 179 people were on board the overloaded vessel when it departed.