Update: Boat with Opposition Leader, other MPs intercepted, escorted to Coast Guard for search

Last Updated on Wednesday, 26 August 2026, 0:41 by Denis Chabrol

Six parliamentarians of the main opposition We Invest in Nationhood (WIN), including Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed, were early Wednesday morning escorted in a boat belong to the Mohameds to the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Coast Guard headquarters for a search to be conducted of the vessel.

The police and Coast Guard arrived alongside the vessel on the Demerara River while it was docked at the Mohamed’s place at Friendship. After the more that two hour-long exchange, the boat, along with occupants, was escorted to the GDF Coast Guard headquarters, Ruimveldt, Georgetown.

The Guyana Police Force said in a statement that about 9:45 PM Tuesday, a routine joint maritime patrol involving the Coast Guard and Police observed a ‘go-fast’ vessel entering the mouth of the Demerara River at a high rate of speed. 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 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 Facebook Live on 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 Tabita 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 Coast Guard.  Ms Primus and Mr Mohamed said they would agree to opening up all the compartments for a search by one of the vessel.

After several exchanges between the law enforcers and the WIN parliamentarians, 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,” he 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 in the river. Mr Mohamed said the vessel had already been docked.