APNU sounds alarm: Transparency, stricter migrant screening urged after deadly gas station blast

Oct 28, 2025 News

---

(Kaieteur News) – A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) has called for heightened transparency in the investigation of the deadly Mobil Gas Station explosion on Regent and King Streets on Sunday night, while urging the government to implement stricter screening and documentation of all migrant workers and non-nationals in the country.

The explosion, which killed six-year-old Soraya Bourne and injured several others, is the third bombing incident in Georgetown in under six months, following attacks on the East Ruimveldt Police Outpost and a nearby Guyana Power & Light substation in May 2025.  Police in a statement on Monday said preliminary investigations revealed that earlier in the evening, a male of mixed ethnicity, believed to be a Spanish speaking foreign national, was seen at the location with two bulky black plastic garbage bags. He reportedly attempted to dispose of the bags in a garbage bin at the station but was prevented from doing so by an attendant. The individual subsequently left the area, heading south along King Street to the western side of the fuel station.

At approximately 19:36hrs, a powerful explosion was heard on the southwestern side of the compound, near the section where bottled cooking gas is stored. The blast caused extensive damage to the building, several parked vehicles and nearby properties. At the time of the explosion, motor car PTT 8275, a silver Toyota Premio, was in the compound with driver Jenica Hooper, 27 years, a teacher of Breda Street, Werk-en-Rust; her mother, Yvonne Jonas, 71 years, a pensioner; her nieces, Soraya Bourne, 6 years (now deceased), and Seddia McIntosh, 12 years, a student; along with her nephew, Reshard Lord, 7 years, a pupil – all of the said address.

They were taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation where Soraya Bourne was pronounced dead on arrival. The other victims were treated for injuries and remain in stable condition. The explosion also damaged four other motor vehicles and caused minor structural damage to a nearby building.

Ranks from the Criminal Investigation Department Headquarters led by senior officers processed the scene and collected several items of evidential value, including fragments of black plastic bags and adhesive tape, which have been sent for forensic analysis. CCTV footage has been obtained and is being reviewed to assist investigators.

The party emphasised that transparent reporting of investigations is essential, calling on the government to publish full incident reports detailing coordination among the Police Force, Fire Service, Defence Force, and health agencies, as well as any lapses identified in security protocols. APNU also stressed the need for immediate screening and documentation of all migrant workers and non-nationals, ensuring that every entrant is verified and law-abiding while protecting the rights of genuine refugees and asylum seekers. The party highlighted that failure to regulate border crossings and monitor migration flows could have serious national security implications, especially given recent geopolitical tensions in the region. “The safety of our people must transcend partisan politics,” the statement said, urging calm, vigilance, and unity as investigators continue their work. APNU reaffirmed its commitment to a secure, cohesive, and resilient Guyana, where citizens can live free from fear. On Monday, members of the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) including Dr. Terrence Campbell, Ms. Coretta McDonald, Saiku Andrews, Attorney-at-Law Ronald Daniels, Nima Flue-Bess and Michael Richmond visited the grieving family and assured them that they are not alone in their pain.

Meanwhile, in a statement of his own, Attorney-at-law, Dr. Dexter Todd said while he commends the swift response of the emergency services and the immediate launch of a full-scale investigation by the Guyana Police Force and other security agencies, “I must stress that an incident of this nature cannot be viewed merely as a localised criminal act. The deliberate and violent nature of the explosion in a densely populated, essential commercial area of the nation’s capital constitutes a clear matter of national security.” In light of this tragic and disruptive event, Todd has urged the Government of Guyana to shift its focus immediately from a purely reactive investigation to a comprehensive and robust proactive national security strategy.  He said it is imperative that the government recognise the systemic vulnerability exposed by this incident.

To effectively safeguard the populace and critical infrastructure, the State must immediately:

allocate maximum resources for strategic security: immediately dedicate all necessary human, financial, and technological resources to strengthen intelligence gathering and security capabilities across all national sectors, particularly in areas susceptible to hostile or criminal targeting. This extends beyond police work to include enhanced national intelligence mechanisms. Additionally, Todd calls on the government to bolster border and immigration security, noting that given the description of the individual of interest, a stringent review and immediate hardening of all border management and internal immigration tracking protocols are essential to prevent the unmonitored entry or presence of individuals who may pose a threat to public safety.

Todd also called on government to conduct a nationwide, comprehensive assessment of security vulnerabilities across all essential services, critical infrastructure and high-density public areas. This assessment he said must inform immediate operational changes to security procedures.

Todd said the safety and security of every Guyanese citizen must be the paramount concern of the State. “An incident of this gravity, which involves deliberate destruction and loss of life, warrants an immediate elevation of security protocols. The government’s response must not only seek to bring the perpetrators of this specific act to justice but must also demonstrably ensure that the mechanisms are in place to prevent similar acts in the future. This is a time for decisive, foresightful action. We call on the government to act proactively, with the gravity this national security matter demands, to restore confidence and guarantee the long-term safety and stability of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana,” the statement said.

---

• APNU, explosion, gas station, Mobil Gas Station, Soraya Bourne, Terrorist

---