By Travis Chase | HGP Nightly News|
GEORGETOWN, GUYANA — The flicker of candlelight illuminated the streets outside the South Ruimveldt residence of Public Works Minister Bishop Juan Edghill on Thursday evening, as grieving relatives, activists, and Members of Parliament from the Joint Opposition gathered for a solemn vigil.
The evening demonstration served a dual purpose: honoring the scores of victims who perished in the fatal capsizing of the state-operated M.V. Barima, while forcefully demanding Minister Edghill’s immediate resignation and full executive accountability for one of the nation’s deadliest maritime disasters.
Demonstrators Demand Immediate Vessel Salvage and Family Closure
Holding lit candles, floral arrangements, and placards displaying the names and faces of missing passengers, speakers emphasized that political leaders overseeing the Transport and Harbours Department (T&HD) must answer for systemic safety failures:
- Urgent Ship Salvage: Addressing the gathering, Odessa Primus, General Secretary of the We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) party, urged authorities to immediately recover the sunken ferry from the Essequibo seabed.
- Preserving Forensic Evidence: Primus warned that every day the vessel remains underwater risks destroying crucial physical evidence needed by the newly appointed international Commission of Inquiry (COI) led by Justice Godfrey Smith.
- Providing Closure for Families: Demonstrators maintained that leaving victims’ remains trapped 50 feet underwater deprives riverine families of proper burials and psychological closure.
[ SOUTH RUIMVELDT VIGIL & DEMANDS ]
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┌───────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────────┐
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[ Demands for Executive Liability ] [ Forensic & Salvage Requirements ]
- Immediate resignation of Minister Juan Edghill - Complete physical recovery of M.V. Barima
- Resignation of Minister Deodat Indar - Retrieval of unrecovered passenger remains
- Independent audit of Transport & Harbours Dept. - Uncompromised access to evidence for COI
“Families deserve closure, and critical evidence could be lost the longer that wreck remains underwater,” stated WIN General Secretary Odessa Primus during the vigil. “Accountability must go beyond mere condolences. We need a credible, independent inquiry and real political responsibility from those who oversee our maritime sector.”
Continuous Public Demonstrations Planned
The nighttime vigil in South Ruimveldt represents part of a sustained nationwide wave of public action—following picketing exercises outside the Office of the President, in Den Amstel, and at Melanie Damishana.
Organizers vowed that Thursday’s gathering would not be the last, confirming that peaceful candlelight vigils and public demonstrations will persist until meaningful ministerial resignations and structural reforms are delivered.
