Duncan grills Govt. over Regent St. bombing

Nov 05, 2025 News

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…calls for answers on illegal border crossings, intel gaps, compensation to victims

(Kaieteur News) – A week after the deadly gas-station explosion that ripped through Regent & King Streets, killing six-year-old Soraya Bourne and injuring unsuspecting shoppers, workers and commuters, serious questions are now before the National Assembly about what the government knew, when they knew it, and why nothing was done to stop the horror.

Opposition Member of Parliament, Sherod Duncan has filed a series of hard-hitting questions directed at Home Affairs Minister Oneidge Walrond and several other government ministers, demanding full disclosure on security breakdowns, emergency response failures and even the use of the National Disaster Risk Management Fund and the Contingencies Fund toward relief or investigation activities linked to the incident.

The October 26 blast, officially labeled an act of terrorism, by the state has been linked to Spanish-speaking nationals who reportedly slipped across Guyana’s borders illegally just hours before the attack. The mastermind of the attack, Venezuelan Daniel Alexander Ramirez Peodomo and another accomplice also from Venezuela are in police custody along with other local suspects. Kaieteur News understands that they will be formally charged today for terrorism and other related offences.

Duncan’s questions effectively ask: where was the intelligence and prevention. He MP wants Minister Walrond to state whether a national threat-assessment bulletin was ever issued between May and October flagging vulnerabilities at fuel depots and major commercial hubs. He is also pressing for answers on: intelligence on the foreign suspects; cross-border alert systems between Immigration, CANU and the Police and after-action reviews from prior bomb attacks.

Additionally, Duncan said that the bombing of October 26, 2025, raises concerns about emergency-response coordination among the Guyana Fire Service, EMTs and the Police Force. As such he has asked that the minister lay before the House the response-time logs for the Fire Service, EMTs and Police for the evening of October 26 and questioned what standard operating procedure governs inter-agency command at mass-casualty scenes, and when was it last exercised? He also asked whether propane-cylinder hazard maps or depot-specific drills were conducted for the Regent & King Streets corridor within the past 12 months?  “What counselling and liaison arrangements were activated for victims’ families during and after the event?”

On the issue of illegal entry and international intelligence, Duncan is also challenging Foreign Affairs, Hugh Todd on whether: CARICOM IMPACS was called in to track the terror network; whether any regional intelligence alerts were shared prior to the attack and whether border-screening technology will finally be updated. He has also asked Human Services Minister, Dr. Vindyha Persaud to clarify: what emergency grants or support packages have been approved for the Bourne family and others affected; what is the current statutory framework for victim compensation in mass-casualty or terrorism cases, and will the Minister consider amendments? and has the Childcare & Protection Agency intervened to support traumatised minors in the affected households?

Following the bombing the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security had announced that it will cover the funeral and wake expenses of Bourne. According to a statement from the ministry, Director of the Childcare and Protection Agency (CPA) Ms. Levine Gouveia and Manager of the Difficult Circumstances Unit (DCU) Ms. Jashudra Seeram-Lackhan had visited the family to offer continued assistance. “Through DCU, the ministry will cover funeral and wake expenses, while CPA will conduct daily hospital visits to monitor the children’s progress. Counseling and support will also be provided to all affected, especially the two hospitalised children for as long as needed,” the ministry stated.

Visiting the grieving family also was Minister of Education, Sonia Parag who was accompanied by Chief Planning Officer at the Ministry, Ms. Mischka White-Griffith. The ministry noted that the incident which claimed the life of Bourne also resulted in the injuries of little Sadiya McClintock and Rashad Lord, along with Genica Hooper and Yvonne Jonas- all of whom are attached to the education sector.

Minister Parag who expressed her deepest condolences to the little girl’s relatives, assured them that President Irfaan Ali, along with the Minister of Home Affairs, Oneidge Walrond, and all relevant law enforcement agencies, are working assiduously to apprehend the main suspect and to conduct a thorough investigation. “Minister Parag told the family that the tragedy has been felt by all of Guyana and that they are in our thoughts and prayers. Minister Parag also committed her and the Ministry of Education’s full support to the affected families,” the ministry statement. This publication understands that the Ministry of Health is also providing support to ensure that all of the injured persons receive the best care possible. President Irfaan Ali also on Monday met with the grieving families of the victims of the bombing during which he promised “swift justice” and confirmed that the Guyana Police Force has been interrogating the suspect who has since confessed to the crime to determine his motives for the “horrific act”. The President also updated the families on the findings to date, telling the parents of Bourne that his government would assist them in every possible way and will use every available tool to help them and those injured to return to some form of normalcy.

Meanwhile, in a set of question to the Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony Duncan noted that following the gas-station explosion the performance of emergency medical services and hospital readiness came under scrutiny and as such he asked: what was the patient surge figure handled by GPHC within the first two hours following the blast; how many operating theatres were mobilised; has the ministry completed a post-incident medical readiness review, and what deficiencies were identified?

Operator oversight

Further, in a series of questions to the Ministers of Natural Resources and Public Works, Duncan is demanding on when was the last comprehensive safety inspection of that facility conducted by the Guyana Energy Agency or allied bodies and asked that the minister table copies of the Mobil Fuel Station’s insurance certificates and compliance licences valid as of October 26 2025.  He also asked what compensation framework has been negotiated or triggered for affected employees, customers, and nearby businesses and what penalties apply for lapses in storage, signage, or fire-suppression standards and have any been invoked. The APNU MP also questioned the Minister of Finance, Dr. Ashn Singh on the use of the National Disaster Risk Management Fund and the Contingencies Fund in relation to the bombing, enquiring whether any disbursement been made from either Fund toward relief or investigation activities linked to the incident?  Duncan also asked what criteria govern such releases, and will the ministry publish the corresponding warrant and expenditure details? The questions were submitted on Monday at the convening of the 13^th Parliament and are listed for oral reply.

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• APNU, bombing, compensation, Duncan, illegal border crossings, intel gaps, Regent St.

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