APNU, WIN reject Ali’s unilateral inquiry into MV Barima ferry disaster

Last Updated on Saturday, 25 July 2026, 16:09 by Denis Chabrol

The parliamentary opposition of a A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) was Saturday preparing to mount a robust rejection of President Irfaan Ali’s unilateral commission of inquiry into last week’s MV Barima Ferry disaster that has unofficially claimed more than 100 lives.

WIN leader and Opposition Leader, Azruddin Mohamed said his party and APNU would “next week” be jointly protesting to pressure government into holding an independent investigation.

APNU’s parliamentary leader, Dr Terrence Campbell would only say on Saturday that “the  opposition is having discussions and I believe that this recent announcement will be a part of those discussions so I will await an announcement from that grouping before I further comment.”

Asked if APNU planned to hold protests if government refused to give into its demand for the 65-seat National Assembly to hammer out the terms of reference for the inquiry, Dr Campbell said “a mechanism is now in place for the entire parliamentary opposition plus extra-parliamentary parties to engage in discussions in relation to this incident and necessary actions.”

Dr Campbell said President Ali’s announcement that he would name his own commission of inquiry on Sunday runs counter APNU’s expectations. He said the National Assembly should have been allowed to debate a motion and craft the COI’s terms of reference and recommend that the panel include representatives of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO). “I think that the President’s move to appoint his own commission is a deliberate ploy to avoid parliamentary debate because I suspect the Speaker (of the National Assembly Manzoor Nadir) would now say that this is not important; the President has already announced that he is appointing a commission,” Dr Campbell said. He said government was deliberately trying to avoid scrutiny, and he was not comforted by the Guyanese leader’s utterances because he wanted to avoid “robust representation” , parliamentary debate and scrutiny.

The APNU parliamentary leader said the incident “flows all the way up to the President” such as the delay in commissioning the MV Kalliopi N ferry until he was ready to commission it.

Opposition Leader Mohamed, for his part, expressed disappointment that neither h, as Leader of the Opposition, nor any parliamentary opposition party was consulted in the establishment of the Commission. “In an effort to build national confidence, this should have been an inclusive and transparent process.

If the government is serious about ensuring a truly independent investigation, Mr Mohamed said Ministers Juan Edghill and Deodat Indar, whose ministries have responsibility for the Transport and Harbours Department (THD) and Maritime Administration (MARAD), should be recused from any involvement while the inquiry is ongoing. He He also said those ministers should also be required to appear before the Commission and answer all relevant questions.

The Opposition Leader said previous Commissions of Inquiry have been completed without their reports being made public. I hope this Commission operates independently, conducts its work transparently, and that its final report is released in full to the people of Guyana. He echoed APNU and Forward Guyana Movement’s calls for Guyana to involve the International Maritime Organization, international maritime experts and institutions to support that probe.

President Ali’s announcement made no reference to the involvement of the parliamentary opposition in the process. The Guyana Human Rights Association had also recommended that the President and the Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed equally appoint a six-member commission. He also did not respond to calls by the opposition and civil society for ministers Edghill and Indar to resign.

In an address to the nation, Dr Ali said the commission woukd comprise distinguished experts and professionals with extensive knowledge and experience in relevant fields, including law, marine engineering, maritime safety, and disaster investigation. He said the members have been “carefully selected for their independence, technical expertise, and proven ability.”

The President said the commission would determine its own procedures and method of work. He explained that the commission would be tasked with conducting a thorough, impartial examination of that tragedy, including the circumstances leading to the capsizing and sinking of the vessel, the response efforts, and all related matters. Its work will seek to identify any shortcomings or failures, recommend appropriate accountability where warranted, and propose reforms that would strengthen the safety and reliability of Guyana’s maritime transportation system.

President Ali said among other matters, the commission will examine the causes and contributing factors to the disaster, including the loading of the vessel, passenger boarding procedures, conditions on board, the vessel’s seaworthiness, maintenance history, compliance with maritime laws and safety standards, the conduct and competence of the mast and crew, passenger management and life-saving arrangements, as well as the role of weather, sea conditions, and other operational factors.

The commission will also undertake a review of the search, rescue, and recovery operations, assessing the adequacy, coordination, and effectiveness of the response by all agencies and stakeholders involved. Importantly, the commission will be empowered to determine whether any acts of negligence, misconduct, dereliction of duty, or institutional failures contributed to or caused this tragedy, and to recommend any legislative, regulatory, institutional, or operational reforms necessary to prevent a recurrence, he added.