By Javone Vickerie | HGP Nightly News|
GEORGETOWN, GUYANA — Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed has welcomed the government’s decision to invite bids to salvage the sunken M.V. Barima, but emphasized that the move came solely as a result of unrelenting public pressure, peaceful protests, and demands from grieving families.
Speaking during a press briefing, Mohamed argued that treating the recovery of Guyana’s deadliest maritime disaster as a standard procurement exercise prolongs the emotional agony of relatives who remain without answers or the bodies of their loved ones.
Victory for Public Advocacy, But Emergency Speed Was Lacking
Mohamed characterized the Maritime Administration Department’s (MARAD) publication of a Request for Expressions of Interest (EOI) as a significant victory for citizens, civil society, and the opposition who refused to accept initial suggestions that the wreck site be left submerged as a permanent memorial:
- Unnecessary Procurement Delays: Mohamed pointed out that the M.V. Barima had already been submerged on the Essequibo seabed for 16 days prior to the government’s EOI publication, arguing that emergency powers should have been invoked immediately following the July 18 capsizing.
- Proposals Already Handed Over: He cited prior statements by President Dr. Irfaan Ali acknowledging that private salvage offers had already been received by the administration, questioning why weeks were lost before formalizing procurement.
- Reiterated Offer to Assist: The Opposition Leader repeated his personal offer to help fund or facilitate international salvage equipment to expedite the recovery timeline before August 14.
[ OPPOSITION SALVAGE DEMANDS & TIMELINE ]
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[ Emergency Action vs Standard Procurement ] [ Structural Integrity & Evidence ]
- Salvage process delayed by 16+ days underwater - Vessel must be lifted as intact as technically possible
- Emergency procurement protocols should have been triggered - Critical to preserve hull, engine & cargo stowage proof
- Continued support for families awaiting missing remains - Ongoing call for resignation of Public Works Minister Edghill
Raising the Vessel Intact to Preserve Forensic Integrity
Addressing the technical parameters of the upcoming salvage operation, Mohamed stressed that the contract awarded must mandate raising the 38.6-meter vessel as intact as technically possible:
“The government did not act out of its own goodwill; this decision came because the people stood up and demanded that the MV Barima be raised from the ocean floor,” Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed stated. “The MV Barima sank days ago, and treating an extraordinary national tragedy like a routine, drawn-out procurement process exposes a complete lack of urgency.”
“Any company engaged to recover the vessel must do so while keeping the structure as intact as best as it possibly can,” Mohamed added. “We need the physical vessel preserved so that the Commission of Inquiry can examine all the physical evidence, and so families can finally receive closure.”
Demands for Ministerial Accountability Continue
Mohamed concluded by reaffirming that his political party, We Invest in Nationhood (WIN), alongside broader civil society groups, will continue supporting affected families through legal and humanitarian channels while maintaining calls for the immediate resignation of Minister of Public Works Bishop Juan Edghill.
