Govt. cannot investigate itself! – Amanza Walton

Jul 23, 2026 News

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…says multiple probes needed into MV Barima disaster

(Kaieteur News) – Leader of the Forward Guyana Movement and opposition member of parliament, Amanza Walton said the Government of Guyana cannot be trusted to investigate the deadly MV Barima tragedy, insisting that only an independent and transparent investigation can restore public confidence.

Speaking at a joint opposition press conference on Wednesday, Walton said the scale of the disaster demands far more than expressions of sympathy.

“Let us speak frankly. The Government of Guyana does not enjoy the confidence of a significant portion of the Guyanese people. I certainly do not have confidence in the government to investigate itself.”

She said multiple investigations are required, including the mandatory marine safety investigation prescribed under international law, stressing that the tragedy demands “a process that is fair, independent, and capable of commanding public confidence.”

Walton warned that Guyana’s rapid economic growth has outpaced the strength of its institutions and said unless oversight bodies are strengthened, more lives could be lost.

“Our responsibility as legislators is not only to mourn those we have lost but to ensure that this never happens again,” she said.

Mandatory safety investigation

According to the parliamentarian, every serious marine casualty requires an independent safety investigation aimed at uncovering the failures that allowed the tragedy to occur.

According to her, investigators must examine every aspect of the vessel’s operation, including its maintenance history, inspections, certification, surveys, operational management, regulatory oversight and the decisions that led to the disaster.

“The purpose is to determine not only what happened, but why it happened and how it can be prevented from happening again,” she said.

Walton also questioned several references by Prime Minister Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips to a Commission of Inquiry, pointing out that it remains unclear what legal mechanism the government intends to invoke.

“Yesterday, the prime minister repeatedly referred to a ‘commission of inquiry.’ That reference itself raises an important legal question: Which commission of inquiry? Is the government proposing a commission of inquiry established under the Commissions of Inquiry Act? Is it referring to the formal investigation provided under Part XVIII of the Guyana Shipping Act? Or is it referring to the marine safety investigation required under the IMO Casualty Investigation Code?”

Drawing on her legal background, Walton said those are separate legal processes with different objectives and powers.

She maintained that the marine safety investigation required under the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) casualty investigation code is mandatory and cannot lawfully be substituted by a commission of inquiry.

“One investigation exists to improve safety. The other may examine broader questions of public administration or accountability. They serve different purposes, and one cannot lawfully be substituted for the other.”

She said delays could jeopardise the search for the truth.

“A commission of inquiry takes time. Meanwhile, evidence is lost, memories fade, and opportunities to establish the facts disappear. That is precisely why the law requires that a marine safety investigation begin immediately.”

‘Enough is enough’

Walton said Guyanese have repeatedly been promised that “no stone will be left unturned” after national tragedies, but public confidence has steadily eroded.

“The people of Guyana have heard enough.” She said before any investigation proceeds, the government must publicly identify the legal framework under which it is operating.

She called on authorities to disclose who has been appointed to conduct the mandatory marine safety investigation and explain how that body is independent of any officials or agencies whose conduct may come under scrutiny.

“The reason international law requires an independent marine safety investigation is precisely because serious marine casualties may require investigators to examine the conduct of the regulator, the certifying authority, the inspecting authority and the operator. Where the state itself may be the subject of scrutiny, the investigation must be capable of commanding public confidence.”

Walton noted that because the MV Barima was a state-operated vessel, questions are likely to arise about its maintenance, certification, inspections, operational management and regulatory oversight.

“If those matters are to be investigated, the Guyanese people must have confidence that the investigators are free to follow the evidence wherever it leads.”

To reinforce transparency and credibility, Walton urged the government to invite international experts to assist with the investigation.

She noted that it is common practice for countries to seek foreign technical assistance following major aviation disasters and argued that the same standard should apply in this case.

“The president frequently speaks about Guyana’s international partners. This is the appropriate time to invite them to lend their technical expertise,” Walton said.

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• cannot investigate itself, Forward Guyana Movement, MP Walton, MV Barima, MV Barima tragedy

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