Opposition unites in call for Edghill to go

Jul 23, 2026 News

---

…mulls parliamentary action

(Kaieteur News) – The joint opposition has demanded the immediate resignation of Minister of Public Works Juan Edghill in the wake of the MV Barima tragedy, which has left dozens still unaccounted for, with 65 bodies recovered so far and 76 people rescued.

On Wednesday, opposition parties — including We Invest in Nationhood (WIN), the Forward Guyana Movement (FGM), the Alliance For Change (AFC), and the Vigilant Political Action Committee (VPAC) — said at a joint press conference that they would have resigned had they been in Edghill’s position.

Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed was not present at the press conference, held at WIN’s office on the East Bank of Demerara; he was at sea for a fourth day of search and recovery efforts. Speaking to reporters near the site of the sunken vessel, Mohamed said that with hopes fading of finding additional survivors — and the death toll expected to surpass 100 — he believes the crew members should not be the only ones, but Edghill should face the same consequence.

The government has acknowledged that the vessel’s manifest did not accurately reflect the number of people aboard, raising questions about whether the MV Barima — a 90-year-old vessel — was overloaded with passengers or cargo, and whether it was seaworthy. Authorities, however, have disputed claims from relatives of the missing and from survivors that the vessel was overloaded during its Saturday night voyage to Port Kaituma, Region One.

Asked how he intends to pursue the matter in Parliament, Mohamed said: “Before we reach to the parliamentary level, Edghill must go. Edghill must resign. He must be held accountable.”

The Opposition Leader added that he believes Edghill should be held criminally responsible for the tragedy. “Edghill should have been in the lockup since this incident happened. He should have been in the lockups first… so Edghill must resign, and we are going to ensure we hold him accountable because he is responsible for what happened here,” he said.

Mohamed described the disaster as the second deadliest in Guyana’s history. Pressed on why the minister should be held accountable — given that authorities say crew members tested positive for THC and have since been placed in custody — Mohamed alleged political interference, citing reports that cargo-loading instructions on such vessels come from senior officials, leaving crew with little choice but to comply. He linked this to claims from survivors and grieving relatives that the vessel was overloaded, claims authorities continue to deny.

FGM Leader and MP Amanza Walton said that had she led the ministry when the tragedy occurred, she would have resigned immediately. “I would have offered to the president my resignation. It’s really that simple. I think this matter has been handled poorly, from the top down — from the president on down,” she said, noting that by the time President Irfaan Ali addressed the nation, Edghill had already declared, in what she called a “bellicose” manner, that the vessel was not overloaded.

Walton argued that as head of state during one of the country’s worst catastrophes, President Ali’s response should have been markedly different. “What should have been done — as president, he should have immediately required the minister, the head of the maritime administration department, and the head of the transport and harbours division to proceed on leave, to facilitate a full, independent and impartial investigation. I would have said that to the nation,” she said.

Instead, she said, the government’s response has resembled a defensive circling of the wagons, noting that when President Ali addressed the nation — after being out of the country when the tragedy struck — he largely repeated statements made the day before. “So, the fact that he was not there that day, one would have expected he would come to this nation and say that he has asked the minister and the heads of MARAD and the transport and harbours department to proceed on leave,” she said.

WIN MP Janelle Sweatnam led the joint opposition’s call for accountability. “One life lost is one too many. We have over one hundred persons dead, and we are here to speak for them. This is the highest level of incompetence, and to fix this there is only one way: the PPP dictatorial administration must go — and we must first start with the minister responsible for the Ministry of Public Works, Minister Juan Edghill,” she said.

Sweatnam said Guyanese deserve answers on whether the MV Barima was properly maintained and fully seaworthy, whether mandatory inspections were carried out, whether maritime regulations were followed, and whether everything reasonably possible was done to protect passengers and crew.

She called on Edghill to accept responsibility for his portfolio and demanded the immediate resignation of both Edghill and MARAD Director Stephen Thomas. She further demanded a transparent, credible and independent investigation — supported by international maritime experts — examining every aspect of the tragedy, from the vessel’s maintenance history and seaworthiness to emergency preparedness, regulatory oversight, and the decisions made before, during and after the disaster.

Opposition Chief Whip Tabitha Sarabo-Halley said several parliamentary options remain open, including a motion addressing the minister’s resignation.

She pointed to a 2023 National Assembly video in which Edghill stated that the US$12.7 million MV Malisha was en route to Guyana and would soon service the Georgetown–Region One route, including stops at Port Kaituma. On Tuesday, however, the minister said the decades-old MV Barima remained the preferred vessel for that route because of delays to the $1.4 billion Port Kaituma wharf upgrade.

“Is it then that he lied to parliament at that point, or did something happen after he made that statement? At this point, we’re looking at all of the options as to the best route to take in parliament — should it be a motion of no confidence, should it go to the privileges committee? We understand how parliament works, but we will make him answer for what has happened,” Sarabo-Halley said.

With Parliament scheduled to sit on Monday, the Opposition Chief Whip said discussions are underway on submitting a question without notice, given mounting public concern. “It is urgent, and it is important — for the Speaker to say it is not would be a tragedy in itself. So that is also on the table,” she said.

---

• Azruddin Mohamed, Juan Edghill, MV Barima, We Invest in Nationhood

---