By Antonio Dey | HGP Nightly News|
GEORGETOWN, GUYANA — In a solemn yet resolute demonstration over the weekend, students from the University of Guyana (UG), joined by youth activists and civil society representatives, gathered outside the Office of the President on Shiv Chanderpaul Drive.
The protesters staged a peaceful picket to demand immediate political and administrative accountability following the catastrophic capsizing of the M.V. Barima, which claimed over 70 lives with dozens remaining unaccounted for.
Demonstrators called for the immediate resignation of Minister of Public Works Bishop Juan Edghill and senior officials at the Maritime Administration Department (MARAD), citing severe regulatory and oversight failures.
Youth and Student Leaders Rally Around “Float the Boat” Demand
Carrying placards bearing messages such as “Float the Boat, Bring Up the Evidence” and “Justice for the Victims,” student leaders expressed profound frustration over the state’s response to Guyana’s deadliest maritime disaster:
- Tirishata Semple (UG Student Society President): Urged national awakening and institutional reforms: “We have so many lives lost… we need to wake up. We don’t want this tragedy to become second to none without real change.”
- Carlos Gonsalves (Youth Activist): Questioned why political heads have not stepped down: “Why is it that we have a subject minister who presides over such a catastrophe still sitting comfortably in office?”
- Daniel Duncan & Student Protesters: Highlighted the emotional trauma suffered by survivors and called for the immediate physical salvage of the ferry to give grieving families closure.
- Dillon Mohammed & Zion Desir: Emphasized that the tragedy represents a tipping point for Guyanese youth, warning against political apathy and systemic impunity.
[ DEMANDS AT OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT ]
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┌─────────────────────────────────┴─────────────────────────────────┐
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[ Resignations & Executive Liability ] [ Salvage & Forensic Evidence ]
- Resignation of Public Works Minister Juan Edghill - Immediate physical recovery of M.V. Barima hull
- Resignation of MARAD & T&HD executive directors - Preservation of primary evidence for COI
- Independent audit of maritime regulatory agencies - Retrieval of missing remains to provide family closure
Civil Society Figures Cite Gross Administrative Negligence
Prominent civil society members and indigenous rights advocates joined the youth demonstration, highlighting systemic failures across state monitoring agencies:
“There were clear operational failures and regulatory failures leading up to this disaster,” stated Dr. Janette Bulkan, Environmental Activist and Academic. “A peaceful picket like this is necessary to demand that those who failed in their statutory duties are held fully accountable.”
“This tragedy could have been avoided had proper maritime safety systems been enforced,” added Sharon La Rose, Policy Officer for the Amerindian Peoples Association (APA). “What we saw was gross negligence, and we cannot remain silent while our communities bear the burden of such loss.”
Sustained Pressure Yields Initial Salvage Tenders
The youth-led demonstration forms part of a broader, mounting national movement.
Following the weekend protests and continued pressure from civil society, the Maritime Administration Department (MARAD) subsequently issued an official invitation for marine salvage companies to submit Expressions of Interest to raise the M.V. Barima while preserving forensic evidence for the newly sworn-in international Commission of Inquiry (COI).
Protesters vowed to maintain peaceful demonstrations until full ministerial resignations and structural safety reforms are achieved.
