HGP Nightly News – APNU parliamentarian Sharma Solomon has called for protests to follow government officials across Guyana, arguing that public pressure must continue until there is accountability for the MV Barima disaster.
Solomon made the call on Thursday as he joined residents demonstrating outside a government consultation on the Model Village Initiative at the Melanie Nursery School.
He said similar demonstrations held in Regions One and 10 should become a “template” for communities elsewhere in the country.
The protests, he argued, would ensure the government could not move past the July 18 tragedy while families continued mourning and awaiting answers.
More than 100 people were confirmed dead or remained unaccounted for in figures released during the aftermath of the disaster. The government has since ended active search-and-recovery operations, although forensic work to identify several recovered bodies is continuing.
Solomon said the country needed substantive accountability rather than symbolic gestures.
He renewed opposition demands for Public Works Minister Juan Edghill and Deodat Indar, the minister with responsibility for the Maritime Administration Department, to be held politically accountable.
Solomon alleged that the ministers had allowed the ageing MV Barima to remain in operation despite concerns about its condition. He further accused them of misleading the public in statements made after the vessel capsized.
Those allegations have not been established by the Commission of Inquiry or a court. The government has maintained that no report had declared the ferry unseaworthy before its final voyage.
The inquiry is expected to examine the vessel’s condition and maintenance history, its statutory approvals, passenger and cargo management, regulatory oversight and the search-and-recovery response.
Solomon nevertheless maintained that the disaster was preventable and that public demonstrations should continue while those questions remain unresolved.
Thursday’s protest unfolded as government officials prepared to consult residents on plans for Melanie Damishana and Non Pareil under the Model Village Initiative.
The meeting was advertised as an opportunity for residents to identify local problems, propose improvements and influence the communities’ long-term development.
The government has proposed extensive infrastructure works for the area, including street lights, fire hydrants, concrete drains, bridges, culverts, walkways, playground upgrades and green spaces.
Opposition figures have criticised the timing of the programme, accusing the government of using new development announcements to divert attention from the MV Barima tragedy. The administration has rejected that argument and says the initiative forms part of a wider effort to improve villages across Guyana.
