Opposition MPs disrupt parliamentary sitting over MV Barima tragedy, but govt proceeds with agenda

Last Updated on Monday, 27 July 2026, 22:23 by Writer

Despite the eruption of protest by all opposition members of parliament (MPs) inside the chamber of the National Assembly to force bipartisan agreement on the terms of reference for the commission of inquiry into the sinking of the ferry MV Barima, the government pressed ahead with its agenda.

Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed ignored House Speaker Manzoor Nadir’s offer of five minutes to address the 65-seat National Assembly about the ferry tragedy that has unofficially claimed the lives of about 100 persons.

Mr Mohamed earlier told reporters that “we won’t sit and allow this wicked and deceitful and treacherous (government) to trample on the rights of our brothers and sisters of our country,” he said.

None of the MPs from the main opposition We Invest in Nationhood (WIN), A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and Forward Guyana Movement (FGM) participated in the consideration of financial papers for the government’s additional request of GY$$54.89 billion, and debate on the Guyana Development Bank Bill.

A number of opposition MPs, who were slated to ask ministers several questions ignored calls by the Speaker to do so.

APNU parliamentary leader Dr Terrence Campbell said “we’ve had the biggest tragedy in Guyana and no one should expect that business must go on as usual,” he said.

“We are here operating as a unified opposition group in relation to this Barima tragedy, signalling to the government that it cannot be business as usual,” he added.

Instead, they chanted “Who must go? Edghill and Indar”, their call for the resignations of public works minister Juan Edghill and Minister responsible for the Maritime Administration (MARAD) Deodat Indar to resign and make way for an independent commission of inquiry into the ferry tragedy of July 18 in the Atlantic ocean off the Essequibo Coast.

The opposition lawmakers banged tables, and almost encircled Attorney General Anil Nandlall, who read a statement concerning the ferry incident on behalf of President Irfaan Ali and Prime Minister Mark Phillips while he was giving a timeline of events since the first distress signal was detected.

Despite two brief suspensions of the sitting to allow for dialogue with the opposition, the MPs ignored pleas by the Speaker to stop disrupting the sitting of the National Assembly.

On each occasion that opposition MPs closed in on Mr Nandlall and Mr Phillips at the lectern, government ministers and other ruling party MPs moved to form almost a protective shield around them.

At one point the Sergeant at Arms and two assistants were subsequently called in to serve as a buffer between the opposition MPs and the prime minister at the lectern.

The WIN, APNU and FGM MPs had also refused to move from tables and chairs that were provided for ministers and their officials to participate in the consideration of financial papers.

As an alternative, the Speaker allowed the prime minister and other ministers to move to other seats.

Ruling party MPs James Bond, Sanjeev Datadin, Peter Ramsaroop and Charles Ramson were seen standing strategically in apparent anticipation of any forward movement by the opposition legislators.

As Minister Edghill exited the Arthur Chung Conference Centre where National Assembly sittings are usually held, he reiterated his position when asked to react to latest calls for him to step down.

“I’ve repeatedly said I would speak about this matter at the appropriate time,” he said as a small group of female supporters comforted him.

Outside the Arthur Chung Conference Centre, Liliendaal, a handful of persons stood in protest against the government.

Among them were former APNU+Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) MP Annette Ferguson and Amerindian rights activist Laura George.

Ms George told Demerara Waves that in addition to ministers Edghill and Indar, the two Indigenous Amerindian ministers -— Sarah Brown and Pauline Sukhai — should also step down because the majority of the victims in the boat tragedy were Amerindians.

She joined the picket line to support the call for justice and accountability in Guyana in relation to all those who have perished.

“As part of cabinet, we have Indigenous ministers. They also must be held accountable so I don’t want them to feel they are protected and insulated from this call for accountability. They are as much as culpable for this neglect of Indigenous Peoples, also as Indigenous women and mothers so the call is for them to resign,” she said.

By her calculation, the cabinet met no fewer than 300 times from 2020 to date but apparently nothing was discussed about sending that ferry to sea.