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  • President to announce “independent” commission of inquiry into MV Barima ferry tragedy

    President to announce “independent” commission of inquiry into MV Barima ferry tragedy

    One week after the catastrophic sinking of the MV Barima ferry that killed an estimated 100 people, Guyana’s President Irfaan Ali has announced plans to unveil a five-member independent commission of inquiry this Sunday.

    The announcement, delivered in a national address Saturday by President Ali, does not address key demands that have been raised by opposition and civil society groups in the wake of the tragedy. Notably, the President made no mention of including parliamentary opposition representatives in the appointment process, rejecting a prior recommendation from the Guyana Human Rights Association that would have seen both the President and Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed each appoint three members to form a six-member panel. Ali also declined to respond to repeated calls from the opposition and civil society organizations for the resignation of two senior cabinet members: Minister of Public Works Juan Edghill and Deodat Indar, the minister in charge of Guyana’s Maritime Administration.

    Despite the lack of action on those demands, President Ali emphasized that the incoming inquiry panel will be made up of highly respected specialists with deep domain expertise across critical areas relevant to the disaster. These include legal practice, marine engineering, maritime safety protocol, and large-scale disaster investigation. He confirmed that members have undergone rigorous vetting, selected specifically for their demonstrated independence, proven technical capabilities, and established track records in their fields.

    Under the terms laid out by the President, the commission will have full autonomy to set its own procedural rules and working schedule. Its core mandate is to conduct a comprehensive, unbiased investigation into every aspect of the July 2026 tragedy. This includes probing the full sequence of events that led to the vessel capsizing and sinking, evaluating the effectiveness of emergency response efforts after the incident, and examining all connected contributing factors.

    The inquiry will be required to pinpoint any systemic or individual shortcomings that contributed to the disaster, outline clear accountability measures where failures are confirmed, and propose targeted regulatory and operational reforms to boost the overall safety and reliability of Guyana’s entire maritime transportation network.

    President Ali outlined the wide scope of the commission’s review, which will cover all potential causes of the sinking: vessel loading practices, passenger boarding protocols, on-board conditions pre-departure, the MV Barima’s seaworthiness, its full maintenance history, compliance with national maritime laws and international safety standards, the conduct and qualifications of the vessel’s master and crew, passenger management protocols, the adequacy of life-saving equipment and arrangements, and the potential impact of weather and sea conditions on the voyage.

    In addition to investigating the sinking itself, the commission will also conduct a full review of all search, rescue, and recovery operations launched after the incident. It will assess whether the response from all involved government agencies and stakeholder groups was adequate, well-coordinated, and effective. Most critically, the panel will have the authority to formally determine if negligence, professional misconduct, dereliction of duty, or broader institutional failures caused or contributed to the disaster, and to recommend any legislative, regulatory, institutional, or operational changes needed to prevent a similar tragedy from occurring in the future.

  • MV Barima’s confirmed death toll now 73, 30 unaccounted for

    MV Barima’s confirmed death toll now 73, 30 unaccounted for

    GEORGETOWN, Guyana – July 24, 2026 – Guyana’s Prime Minister Mark Phillips has delivered an updated briefing on the ongoing search and recovery operations following the capsizing of the passenger vessel MV Barima off the country’s Essequibo Coast, confirming that 73 bodies have been recovered as of Friday evening.

    Of the 73 recovered remains, 69 have received formal positive identification, Phillips told reporters. Based on the government’s current working count of 179 total passengers and crew on board the vessel at the time of the incident, 30 people remain unaccounted for nearly a week after the disaster.

    To accelerate the search for missing persons, authorities have expanded the operational search area by an additional 32 square miles, stretching from the western town of Waini eastward to Adventure along the Essequibo Coast. Phillips confirmed that multiple response vessels are currently on standby to roll the capsized MV Barima back to an upright position, a step that recovery teams believe will allow them to access more trapped remains inside the ship’s hull.

    “These operations will continue for as long as necessary to ensure that every possible effort is made to account for those affected, with utmost care, dignity, and respect,” Phillips said, emphasizing the government’s commitment to leaving no family without closure.

    As of the latest update, 63 recovered bodies have already been released to next of kin, while an additional six remains have been transferred to their home communities for burial. Twenty-two funerals have already been held for victims of the incident.

    A total of three aircraft and 14 marine vessels are currently deployed to support the large-scale search and recovery mission, according to the Prime Minister. When pressed for clarity on how many recovered victims and survivors match the official published manifest of 116 passengers and 16 crew, Phillips declined to provide an immediate breakdown.

    Questions over passenger overloading have emerged in the wake of the disaster, after initial reports cited a maximum passenger capacity of 150 people. Responding to these claims, Maritime Administration (MARAD) Director-General Stephen Thomas clarified that the MV Barima was officially certified to carry up to 394 passengers and 120 tonnes of cargo.

    Phillips also addressed widespread unconfirmed reports that the vessel’s captain issued an urgent Mayday distress call and instructed passengers to don life jackets before the ship capsized. “We have no such record” of this communication taking place, the Prime Minister stated.

    All details surrounding the cause and sequence of the incident will be investigated by an independent commission of inquiry, Phillips confirmed. A final decision on whether opposition parties will be invited to participate in the inquiry process rests with President Irfaan Ali and the national cabinet.

  • Former top GUYSUCO official and literary figure, Ian McDonald dies

    Former top GUYSUCO official and literary figure, Ian McDonald dies

    On Friday, 24 July 2026, the Caribbean region mourned the passing of Ian McDonald, a towering figure whose decades-long career left an indelible mark across the sugar industry, media, literature and sports across the bloc. He was 93 years old at the time of his death.

    Born in Trinidad, McDonald built his professional legacy over decades in Guyana’s sugar sector, starting his tenure with the private Bookers enterprise before transitioning to the nationalized Guyana Sugar Corporation (GUYSUCO), where he rose to the rank of top senior executive. Later in his career, he took on the role of Chief Executive Officer of the Sugar Association of the Caribbean (SAC), leading industry collaboration across the region.

    Beyond his work in agriculture, McDonald also held prominent positions in Guyana’s independent media landscape. He served as former Chairman of Guyana Publications Inc, the company that published the now-defunct independent private newspaper Stabroek News, working alongside outlet founder David DeCaires and the late prominent lawyer Miles Fitzpatrick to uphold independent journalism in the country.

    Guyana’s President Irfaan Ali released a statement expressing profound sorrow at McDonald’s passing, describing him as a respected literary voice and one of the Caribbean’s most distinguished public figures. Ali noted the particularly poignant timing of McDonald’s death, coming as Guyana grapples with the aftermath of the MV Barima ferry tragedy, an incident that has so far been unofficially linked to more than 100 fatalities. “It is sad that he should leave us now, when the hour is so dark and our nation longs for the wisdom that flowed from his pen,” Ali said. “At this time when grief drapes our nation, we need more than ever his words to steady us, to console us, to remind us that even in loss, there is the promise of renewal.”

    McDonald’s contributions extended far beyond industry and media, earning him widespread regional recognition. In 1997, the University of the West Indies awarded him an Honorary Doctorate of Letters to honor his service to the Caribbean sugar sector, sports, and literary communities. A lifelong sports enthusiast, McDonald held a unique distinction as the only person from Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago to have competed in tennis at the iconic Wimbledon Championships, cementing his legacy as a trailblazer across multiple fields.

  • Guyana says new US ‘forced labour tariff’ will not burden Guyanese exporters

    Guyana says new US ‘forced labour tariff’ will not burden Guyanese exporters

    As of Friday, July 24, 2026, the United States has implemented a new 12.5% tariff targeting imports from 60 global trading partners, a policy framed as a penalty for nations that continue to allow trade in goods produced through forced labor. In response to the policy, Guyanese officials have moved quickly to clarify that local exporters will not face new disproportionate costs, while confirming the country will actively push for a full exemption from the measure.

    In an official statement released Friday, Guyana’s Foreign Secretary Robert Persaud emphasized that the new 12.5% duty does not add an unplanned financial burden to local producers. The tariff replaces a 10% global tariff that expired July 24 under Section 122 of the U.S. Trade Act, and marks a continued downward trajectory from higher rates announced in previous months: a 38% rate unveiled in April 2025 was revised down to 15% before settling at the current 12.5% level.

    Crucially, the tariff does not extend to Guyana’s top export commodities, oil and gold, multiple sources familiar with the policy confirmed to Demerara Waves Online News. U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer first announced the tariff’s scope Thursday, noting that all affected nations, including Guyana, would be required to pay the 12.5% duty for targeted goods to gain entry to the U.S. market.

    Persaud stressed that Guyana was not singled out for punitive action in the policy, which includes major global economies and regional neighbors across every continent: affected partners include Canada, the European Union, India, Trinidad and Tobago and Venezuela, among 55 other nations. Sixteen other countries are facing ongoing linked investigations, Persaud added, and Guyana is not included in that group.

    Beyond that, top Guyanese officials have forcefully rejected any suggestion that forced labor-produced goods are traded through Guyana’s borders. “Guyana was not aware of evidence demonstrating that goods produced through forced labour are being manufactured in, imported into, or exported from Guyana,” Persaud said, a position reaffirmed during public hearings held by the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) earlier this month.

    Sharon Roopchand-Edwards, Permanent Secretary of Guyana’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, told the USTR’s July 7-9 public hearing that any forced labor allegations must be resolved through lawful, evidence-based investigations, according to official hearing transcripts. Roopchand-Edwards backed the government’s position with official labor data: as of June 2026, more than 2,000 inspections across all major economic sectors have failed to turn up any substantiated cases of forced labor. The Guyana Revenue Authority has also confirmed no record of forced labor-produced goods entering the country through official ports of entry, she added.

    Under Guyana’s existing Customs Act, Roopchand-Edwards noted, the government already has full authority to block imports of goods confirmed to be produced through forced labor. “When it is conclusively determined that imported goods were produced using forced labour, the responsible minister has powers to prohibit importation,” she said.

    Persaud also framed the new U.S. tariff as a product of domestic U.S. political and legal shifts, rather than a judgment on Guyana’s trade practices. He explained that the policy was crafted by the current Trump administration to work around a U.S. Supreme Court ruling issued earlier this year that limits the executive branch’s authority to impose unilateral tariffs. “It is not a judgment on Guyana, and Guyana was neither singled out nor treated differently from dozens of other economies navigating the same recalibration,” Persaud said.

    While the new tariff does not create new immediate costs for Guyanese exporters, Persaud confirmed the government will continue lobbying for a full exemption from the duty. Parallel to that effort, the administration is also finalizing work on a new reciprocal trade agreement with the U.S. that reflects the deepening, mature bilateral relationship between the two nations. “We are confident this process will continue on the basis of facts, mutual respect, and shared interest,” Persaud said, adding that Guyana remains fully committed to its ongoing trade and diplomatic partnership with the United States. Government officials have already engaged directly with USTR and other relevant U.S. agencies to reinforce Guyana’s position, most recently during the July public hearings, which Guyana participated in voluntarily.

  • US imposes 12.5 percent “forced-labour” tariff on Guyana’s exports

    US imposes 12.5 percent “forced-labour” tariff on Guyana’s exports

    In a major trade action announced Thursday, the United States has implemented a 12.5 percent additional tariff on nearly all exports from the South American nation of Guyana, triggering an immediate pushback from Guyanese officials who deny any systemic forced labor in the country’s supply chains.

    The new tariff measure, announced by U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, places Guyana among 60 trading partners facing higher tariffs for what Washington describes as a “failure to impose and effectively enforce a prohibition on the importation of goods produced with forced labor.” The punitive step caps years of investigation by the USTR, a process that included two rounds of public hearings, more than 2,100 public submissions from stakeholders, and direct diplomatic engagement with affected nations to address longstanding U.S. concerns about forced labor in global supply chains.

    In an official statement following the announcement, Ambassador Greer emphasized that decades of informal diplomatic pressure had failed to eliminate forced labor from cross-border supply chains. “The United States has had a forced labor import ban for nearly a century, and rigorously enforces it; it’s well past time for our trading partners to do the same,” Greer said. He framed the new tariffs as a corrective measure that addresses both a widespread human rights abuse and a market-distorting trade practice, with the ultimate goal of improving working conditions for laborers worldwide. Greer also noted that he welcomed progress from trading partners that have already adopted forced labor import prohibitions, and looks forward to verifying their effective enforcement going forward.

    USTR’s multi-month review process included the analysis of more than 1,600 written public comments on the proposed tariff plan, followed by three days of in-person public hearings from July 7 to 9, where more than 100 witnesses delivered testimony and answered questions from agency officials.

    But Guyanese officials have pushed back strongly against the U.S. action, rejecting the premise that Guyana tolerates forced labor in its domestic production or trade. Sharon Roopchand-Edwards, Permanent Secretary of Guyana’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, told a USTR public hearing earlier this year that any allegations of forced labor must be resolved through lawful, evidence-based investigations, rather than broad punitive tariffs.

    “To date, the Government of Guyana is not aware of evidence demonstrating that goods produced through forced labour are being manufactured in, imported into, or exported from Guyana,” Roopchand-Edwards told the hearing. She emphasized that Guyana shares the U.S. commitment to protecting core labor rights and eradicating forced labor globally, pointing to a robust domestic legal and institutional framework already in place to prevent the practice.

    Backing up the government’s position with domestic enforcement data, Roopchand-Edwards noted that as of June 2026, Guyana’s Ministry of Labour had completed more than 2,000 targeted inspections across all major economic sectors, and had not found any substantiated evidence of systemic forced labor. The Guyana Revenue Authority has also not detected any forced labor-produced goods entering the country through imports, she added.

    Under existing Guyanese law, Roopchand-Edwards explained, customs authorities already have the legal authority to block imports of goods confirmed to be produced by forced labor. The country’s constitution and national legislation, including the Combating of Trafficking in Persons Act, explicitly ban forced labor, and Guyana is also bound by its obligations under International Labour Organization (ILO) Conventions 29 and 105, which globally prohibit forced and compulsory labor.

    Guyana has formally requested that the U.S. reverse the new tariff penalties, and offered full cooperation on any specific, verified cases of forced labor that U.S. authorities can present. Roopchand-Edwards added that Guyana would welcome capacity-building support, information sharing, and exchanges of best practices from the U.S. to strengthen the country’s existing detection and enforcement mechanisms.

    She also noted the deep existing economic ties between the two nations: U.S. exports to Guyana have grown steadily over the past two decades, and American firms hold a major market position across Guyana’s economy, most notably in the fast-growing energy sector. “These facts demonstrate that U.S. commerce is neither restricted nor burdened in the Guyanese market,” she said, adding that the two countries are already in active discussions to finalize a reciprocal trade agreement that covers labor standards, including protocols for forced labor-produced goods. Roopchand-Edwards urged U.S. officials to reconsider the tariff penalties before they enter into force.

  • Civil society activists mull constitutional case against police arrest during MV Barima vigil

    Civil society activists mull constitutional case against police arrest during MV Barima vigil

    On the evening of July 22, 2026, five female civil society activists attended a government-organized vigil at Georgetown’s Kingston Seawall, gathered to honor victims of the deadly MV Barima ferry disaster. What began as a peaceful demonstration demanding government accountability has now escalated into a planned constitutional challenge against the Guyanese state, after three members of the group were arrested, detained, and allegedly assaulted by local law enforcement.

    The activists had positioned themselves on the periphery of the official event, holding silent signs calling for the resignation and criminal prosecution of Public Works Minister Juan Edghill, whom they hold responsible for the preventable tragedy. Throughout the vigil, the group maintained orderly conduct, never disrupting proceedings, blocking access, or harassing other attendees. According to their official joint statement, no event participant raised any complaints about their presence for the first hour of the gathering. When the group moved to stand behind a large event banner, however, officers from the Guyana Police Force approached and ordered them to leave the location. When the activists asked to be told which law they had violated, police were unable to cite any specific regulation.

    Choosing to avoid disrupting the vigil, the activists began returning to their original peripheral position, but police escalated the confrontation, arresting Sherlina Nageer, Salima Bacchus-Hinds, and Romola Lucas. Officers claimed the women held “illegal signs” and had not obtained official permission to protest, forcibly dragging Nageer to the Brickdam Police Station at Eve Leary. The three detainees were processed and released that night on their own recognizance, with a summons to return the next morning to meet with the regional police commander. The following day, police dropped all pending charges and extended an apology to the activists – but the group has rejected the gesture as insufficient and insincere.

    Nageer, speaking publicly after the incident, described the apology as conditional and dismissive, noting senior officers offered it only on the basis of “if you think you deserve an apology.” For the activists, a formal apology does not address the core harm of arbitrary detention and constitutional rights violations. “The assault and rights violation are real, actual serious things, and saying you’re ‘sorry and just get out of my office’ does not match the scale of what happened,” Nageer told Demerara Waves Online News.

    The group is currently seeking legal counsel to file a constitutional challenge at the Guyana High Court, aiming to set a legal precedent that prevents law enforcement from violating citizens’ fundamental rights to peaceful assembly in the future. If the suit moves forward, its core goal will be to legally bar police from arbitrary arrests and forced removals of peaceful protestors from public gatherings. The activists emphasize that Guyana’s constitution explicitly protects the right to peaceful assembly, association, and demonstration under Article 147, which states that “no person shall be hindered in the enjoyment of his or her freedom of assembly, association and freedom to demonstrate peacefully.”

    Alongside the planned constitutional lawsuit, the group has submitted an official complaint to the Guyana Police Force’s Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR), which confirmed that OPR representatives received them well during an initial meeting this week.

    In their joint statement, the activists characterized the verbal harassment, physical abuse, and arbitrary detention of the three women as a clear case of state overreach and abuse of power that threatens the constitutional rights of all Guyanese citizens. They have rejected attempts to intimidate them into silence, calling on all Guyanese to speak out against the gradual erosion of constitutional and human rights by government and law enforcement officials, and to join their demand for full and lasting accountability.

    Beyond the confrontation with police, the group has reaffirmed their core demands related to the MV Barima disaster: they continue to call for Edghill’s resignation and full criminal accountability, an independent and transparent public investigation into the tragedy, and a complete overhaul of Guyana’s coastal and inland public transportation systems. The activists argue that the ferry disaster was entirely preventable, caused by systemic failures including inadequate oversight, ignored safety protocols, failure to complete necessary port infrastructure, and delays in commissioning modern, safe ferry vessels. “Persons must not suffer and die because they are unable to afford a plane ticket, because systems lack oversight, protocols are ignored, stellings not built, and more modern ferries not commissioned in a timely manner,” their statement read.

  • Transparency Institute wants International Maritime Organisation to investigate MV Barima tragedy

    Transparency Institute wants International Maritime Organisation to investigate MV Barima tragedy

    On Thursday, July 23, 2026, Transparency Institute of Guyana Inc. (TIGI), the local affiliate of global anti-corruption network Transparency International, issued a bold demand calling on Guyana’s government to invite the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) to lead a full independent investigation into the sinking of the cargo-passenger vessel MV Barima, a disaster that has been linked to an unofficial death toll of 102 lives. The organization explicitly rejected a government-controlled domestic inquiry, calling instead for a probe led by neutral, international maritime experts with no personal or institutional stake in the investigation’s outcome.

    As recovery operations continue roughly five days after the vessel sank 10 miles off Guyana’s Essequibo Coast, Prime Minister Mark Phillips, a retired brigadier and former head of the Guyana Defence Force, confirmed the latest official casualty update in a Thursday evening briefing. Phillips made no mention of ongoing rescue efforts, focusing instead on body recovery and vessel repositioning work. According to the latest government count, 179 people were on board the 87-year-old Scottish-built vessel when it sank: 161 passengers and 18 crew members. Of those, 77 have been rescued and 72 bodies have been recovered, leaving 30 people still unaccounted for. The recovery count rose steadily over the past 48 hours, climbing to 70 on Wednesday after five additional bodies were found, with two more recovered on Thursday to push the total to 72.

    In addition to demanding international leadership for the probe, TIGI has laid out several key requirements for the investigation process. The organization called for international civil society groups with established operations in Guyana to be granted full voting membership on any oversight commission, rather than being limited to observer status. It also demanded the immediate recusal of Public Works Minister Juan Edghill, Public Utilities and Aviation Minister Deodat Indar, and all senior leadership from Guyana’s Maritime Administration (MARAD) from any involvement in the probe.

    TIGI’s call for international intervention stems from widespread public distrust of domestic inquiry processes, a grievance rooted in the unresolved aftermath of the 2023 Mahdia Secondary School dormitory fire that killed 20 children, most of them Indigenous girls. While a presidential commission of inquiry was convened after that tragedy, TIGI noted that three years later, grieving families are still fighting legal battles in Guyana’s High Court. Families allege the state pressured them to accept inadequate settlements without independent legal counsel, then moved to dismiss their remaining claims entirely. “Guyanese have no appetite for another domestic inquiry that collapses into a circus maximus,” said TIGI executive member Fred Collins, whose sentiment was echoed by the organization. TIGI joins two other major Guyanese civil society groups—Rescue Guyana and the Amerindian People’s Association (APA)—in calling for an independent international probe.

    A central point of contention in the sinking disaster is the major discrepancy between the official passenger manifest and the actual number of people on board the vessel. Government initially reported 116 passengers and 17 crew, but after the identities of multiple rescued people failed to match manifest entries, officials revised the total count to 179 using security camera footage from the Kingston Goods Wharf departure point. TIGI emphasized that this discrepancy is not a minor detail, but core to the tragedy, noting that Minister Edghill himself has labeled the uncounted passengers “criminal.” The watchdog is calling for the probe to fully unpack how dozens of people were left off the manifest, who bears responsibility for the error, and what enforcement actions will follow.

    As of Thursday, law enforcement officials confirmed that the vessel’s captain and three other crew members remain in police custody. Deputy Commissioner Wendell Blanhum, head of the Guyana Police Force’s Criminal Investigations Department, confirmed the detentions in comments to Demerara Waves Online News. Minister Edghill also previously disclosed that the captain and one crew member tested positive for marijuana after being rescued. TIGI argues that having government ministers who have already publicly prejudged key facts of the case oversee the investigation would violate basic principles of impartiality, making an independent international process the only path to credible accountability. The organization stressed that this is no longer just a domestic accountability issue: families of the victims deserve the truth and justice, TIGI says, and should not have to sue the state to obtain it, as the families of the Mahdia fire victims have been forced to do for years.

  • US, France, China, EU, Canada, UK,CARICOM join Guyana in mourning

    US, France, China, EU, Canada, UK,CARICOM join Guyana in mourning

    On Wednesday, 22 July 2026, the international community has united to express condolences and stand in solidarity with Guyana following the tragic sinking of the passenger ferry MV Barima, which has left at least 57 people dead and 46 others still unaccounted for at sea.

    U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau was among the first global officials to issue a public statement of mourning, sharing his remarks via X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. Landau extended his most sincere condolences to both the government and people of Guyana in the wake of the devastating maritime accident. “We in the U.S. share in your loss and mourning. May God bless those who lost their lives, the survivors, and their families and friends,” he wrote. The U.S. Embassy in Guyana followed with a separate statement, echoing the deep sadness felt across the U.S. and highlighting respect for rescue workers who responded to the emergency overnight. “We honor the courage of every rescuer who answered the call in the dark hours of the night and who continue their mission today. We pray for the safe recovery of all those still missing,” the embassy said.

    France moved quickly to provide tangible support to search and rescue efforts, deploying a specialized team of 15 personnel – including military divers and experienced rescue specialists – from French Guiana on 20 July, in full coordination with the Guyanese government and Guyana Defence Force. In a statement, France reaffirmed its longstanding solidarity with regional partners and neighbors across the Caribbean, West Indies, and the Guyana Shield region.

    China has also signaled its willingness to provide support, announcing it is closely monitoring ongoing search operations in a formal embassy statement. “We express deep condolences over the loss of lives, and convey heartfelt concern to the passengers and crew members affected by the accident, as well as their families,” the statement read. “At this difficult time, the Chinese people stand in solidarity with the Guyanese people. China stands ready to provide Guyana with assistance within its capacity.”

    The Delegation of the European Union to Guyana, joined by representatives of EU member states accredited to the South American nation, announced it would join Guyana’s three-day national period of mourning that began 22 July. “Our hearts go out to those who have lost family, friends, and community members in this devastating incident. We stand in solidarity and we extend our deepest sympathy to them and the people of Guyana during this difficult time,” the delegation said. The bloc also commended ongoing search efforts, specifically highlighting France’s on-the-ground support, and confirmed the EU remains ready to provide further assistance if requested.

    Canada and the United Kingdom also issued formal statements of condolence. “We are deeply saddened by the news of the capsizing of the MV Barima. Our thoughts are with all those affected, including the passengers and crew, and their families and loved ones,” Canada’s statement read. The UK High Commission to Guyana commended the tireless work of first responders involved in the recovery operation. “We recognise and commend the dedication and courage of the emergency services, maritime authorities and all those involved in the ongoing search and rescue efforts. The UK stands with Guyana at this difficult time,” the commission said.

    Regional bloc the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) also shared a statement of support, noting the ferry capsized off Guyana’s Atlantic coast near the mouth of the Pomeroon River. “The Community continues to closely follow the ongoing search and rescue operation to account for the passengers and crew. We extend our prayers and support to the families anxiously awaiting news of their loved ones,” CARICOM said. The organization paid special tribute to rescue teams, including Guyanese government agencies and private vessel operators who mobilized immediately in challenging overnight conditions to save lives. “CARICOM stands in solidarity with the Government and people of Guyana, in particular, the families and communities that are being impacted by this unfolding disaster,” the statement concluded.

  • MV Barima COI: Liars must be jailed, public servants must be protected from pressure- GHRA

    MV Barima COI: Liars must be jailed, public servants must be protected from pressure- GHRA

    In the wake of the devastating MV Barima ferry sinking that occurred off Guyana’s coast last Saturday, the confirmed death toll has climbed to 57 as of 1 p.m. local time on Wednesday, with 46 passengers and crew still unaccounted for, according to government updates. As recovery operations continue with international support, the Guyana Human Rights Association (GHRA) has laid out a series of strict, detailed recommendations to ensure any official Commission of Inquiry (COI) into the tragedy delivers transparent, impartial results — a demand rooted in longstanding political polarization that has eroded public trust in state-led investigations.

    Government officials confirmed that 76 of the 179 total people on board the capsized ferry have been rescued, and 44 of the 57 recovered bodies have already been positively identified by family members, with 18 released for funeral arrangements as of Wednesday. Currently, 19 local vessels and two aircraft are deployed for search, rescue and recovery work, with specialized support assets from the Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard and the Brazilian Navy en route to the incident site to expand operational capacity. Technical teams are currently carrying out detailed structural assessments of the capsized vessel to develop a safe, effective plan to right it, which will give on-site diving teams improved access to search for remaining missing victims.

    Against this backdrop of ongoing recovery efforts, the GHRA has published a formal statement calling for sweeping safeguards to guarantee the COI operates without political interference or intimidation of witnesses. The association’s core demand is that the inquiry must have the legal authority to prosecute and imprison any witness who lies, misleads investigators, withholds evidence, or conceals critical information. The GHRA argues that the threat of criminal consequences including jail time is a necessary deterrent to prevent bad-faith testimony from obstructing the investigation. Additionally, the group has called for formal protections to insulate lower-level public servants from coercion by senior officials when giving evidence, ensuring lower-ranking staff can testify truthfully without fear of retaliation.

    On the structural design of the six-member commission, the GHRA proposed an evenly split appointment process: three commissioners will be selected by Guyana’s sitting President, and the remaining three will be appointed by the Opposition Leader. The GHRA further recommended that the commission’s chair must be a prominent, independent jurist from either Guyana or the wider Caribbean region. A key proposed rule grants the independent chair, rather than the state agencies being investigated, full authority to rule on the admissibility of evidence and to evaluate any claims of national security invoked by official bodies to withhold information.

    To equalize standing for affected families, the GHRA is also calling on the state to fully fund independent legal representation for the families of victims, matching the level of legal support provided to the public agencies under scrutiny. The association emphasized that these guardrails are non-negotiable given Guyana’s current political context, where deep, aggressive polarization between major political parties has made good-faith policy dialogue nearly impossible, and left the public deeply distrustful of official assurances of an “independent” inquiry. Without these safeguards, the GHRA warned, the investigation will devolve into little more than political point-scoring, allowing government officials and state agencies to control the narrative around their own potential failings.

    Plans for an investigation are already moving forward: Prime Minister Mark Phillips has publicly committed to holding a full investigation, while Amanza Walton-Desir, leader of the Forward Guyana Movement, has echoed calls for both a mandatory maritime safety investigation aligned with International Maritime Organisation (IMO) standards and a separate COI — both to be led by independent foreign experts to avoid bias.

  • International experts must conduct investigations into MV Barima tragedy- FGM Leader

    International experts must conduct investigations into MV Barima tragedy- FGM Leader

    On Wednesday, 22 July 2026, senior opposition figures in Guyana have called for sweeping independent investigations into a marine safety incident, pushing the ruling administration to meet the country’s binding legal obligations under International Maritime Organisation (IMO) regulations and address longstanding gaps in the nation’s riverine transportation safety system.

    Speaking at an opposition news conference hosted at the We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) party office, Amanza Walton-Desir — leader of the Forward Guyana Movement (FGM), a former legal counsel with both the Ministry of Public Works and the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority, and ex-member of the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) — laid out a two-pronged plan for accountability. She stressed that Guyana is legally required to conduct a full marine safety investigation equivalent to probes carried out following aviation accidents, and that urgent action is critical to preserve critical evidence required under the IMO’s Safety of Life at Sea Convention.

    Walton-Desir argued that the current government lacks the technical capacity and public trust to lead the probe itself, and urged the administration to follow through on its own rhetoric of engaging international partners. “It is my strong recommendation that this government call on our international partners, as the president so loves to say. I think calling on them now is appropriate to lend to Guyana the particular technical expertise that will be needed here,” she said, noting that specialized technical teams from the United States and Canada would likely respond positively to a request for support.

    Beyond the mandatory IMO-compliant investigation, Walton-Desir called for a separate public Commission of Inquiry, and insisted that no panel members can have any formal affiliation with the ruling People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPPC) administration. She explained that the opposition and general public do not trust the current government to conduct an impartial probe, and an independent inquiry would rebuild public confidence while laying clear groundwork for any potential criminal proceedings that may emerge from the investigation.

    The news conference was billed as a joint opposition event, but the PNCR-led A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) declined to attend. WIN executive member Tabita Sarabo-Halley declined to comment on the specific reason for APNU’s absence.

    Interim Leader of the Alliance For Change (AFC) and former Minister of Public Infrastructure David Patterson expanded on the opposition’s demands, tying the incident to systemic safety failures enacted by the current PPPC administration. Patterson called for the full maintenance, inspection, dry docking, and certification records for the MV Barima, the vessel at the center of the incident, to be turned over immediately to the independent international investigators.

    He outlined a broad set of long-term reforms to fix Guyana’s failing passenger ferry system, including immediate mandatory seaworthiness inspections for all vessels in the country’s passenger fleet to confirm they are fit for the routes they operate; urgent upgrades to outdated docking infrastructure; implementation of a secure, transparent digital ticketing system to curb unregulated travel; and a targeted program to replace aging, unsafe vessels with modern ferries served by upgraded terminal facilities.

    “This is not about one vessel. It’s about public safety, accountability, and the rights of citizens in the riverine and hinterland communities to travel with confidence. Our people, the people, deserve answers, and they deserve a transportation system that is safe, and properly managed,” Patterson said.

    Patterson also accused the PPPC administration of deliberately dismantling an independent oversight system created by the previous APNU+AFC government to crack down on unrecorded travel and unsafe operational practices. Under the previous system, independent inspectors hired directly by the Ministry of Public Infrastructure verified that passenger counts, cargo loads, fuel stores, and all other operational activities were properly documented and accounted for, addressing a longstanding issue of un-ticketed travel that often occurred with the collusion of vessel staff. Patterson confirmed the PPPC administration removed all of these inspectors after taking office and never replaced the oversight program with an equivalent system. He added that if the inspection regime had remained in place, it could have prevented the unsafe loading practices and operational failures that led to the current incident.