Last Updated on Thursday, 27 August 2026, 21:29 by Writer
A boat with six members of parliament (MPs) of the main opposition We Invest in Nationhood (WIN), including Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed to whom the vessel belonged, was early Wednesday morning escorted to the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Coast Guard headquarters for a search to be conducted.
The police and Coast Guard arrived alongside the vessel on the Demerara River while it was docked at the Mohameds’ place at Friendship, East Coast Demerara.
After the more than two-hour-long exchange, the boat, along with the occupants, was escorted to the GDF Coast Guard headquarters in Ruimveldt, Georgetown.
The Guyana Police Force said in a statement that about 9:45 p.m. on Tuesday, a routine joint maritime patrol involving the Coast Guard and Police observed a speeding ‘go-fast’ vessel entering the mouth of the Demerara River.
Police said the vessel was signalled by siren to stop but failed to comply, prompting a pursuit.
It was subsequently intercepted at a wharf at Friendship, East Bank Demerara.
Police said three persons, including the Opposition Leader, were found aboard the vessel, and five other persons, suspected to have travelled aboard the vessel, were observed at the wharf facility.
“The Guyana Police Force and Guyana Defence Force Coast Guard are jointly investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident,” police said.
Based on a live broadcast on the Team Mohamed’s Facebook page, one of the law enforcement agents requested documents for the vessel and the captain’s licence. So far, that request had not been complied with.
“On what premise? That is not something that you have to do,” said Mr Mohamed.
Other parliamentarians aboard the vessel were WIN General Secretary Odessa Primus, opposition chief whip Tabitha Sarabo-Halley, Dawn Hastings, Deon LaCruz and Natasha Singh.
Ms Primus said “you are not allowed to come on this boat” after one of the senior officers said the boat had to be towed.
“Boy come off this boat. Who instruct you to come on this boat?” he said.
The Opposition Leader insisted that the vessel be searched at the location to which the officer said even if it was searched it would have to be towed to the Coast Guard.
Ms Primus and Mr Mohamed said they would agree to opening up all the compartments for a search.
After several exchanges between the law enforcers and the WIN MPs, one of the officers said “the suspicion is that he had something illegal in the boat.”
Ms Primus resisted the intention to move the vessel. “There shall be no moving anything,” she said.
She alleged that the law enforcers wanted to plant something on the vessel, adding that all of a sudden they did not want to search the vessel anymore.
The WIN parliamentary team had earlier Tuesday travelled to two North West District areas to meet with survivors of the MV Barima river tragedy and relatives of the deceased.
Ms Primus challenged the police’s account that they chased and intercepted the boat on the river.
Mr Mohamed said the vessel had already been docked.
