Submitted by Richard Millington, Esq, Director of Communication, CGID

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CGID RIPS GUYANA GOVERNMENT FOR OPERATING 87-YEAR-OLD DILAPIDATED MV BARIMA FERRY AND LYING ABOUT NUMBER OF SOULS ON BOARD – DEMAND RESIGNATION OF MINISTER OF TRANSPORTATION MINISTER

BROOKLYN: On Saturday, July 11, 2026, the MV Barima, a ferry from Georgetown to Port Kaituma, Region One, near the Venezuelan border (located at the top peak of the map of Guyana), sank in the Atlantic Ocean about 25 miles from the mouth of the Pomeroon River, en route to Port Kaituma.   

The PPP government of Guyana immediately tried to diminish the magnitude of the tragedy by lying to the world about the circumstances that caused the vessel to sink, as well as lied about the number of people and weight of the cargo on board 

Minister of Works and Transportation, Juan Edghill, whose ministerial purview includes the Transport and Harbors Department (THD) which runs the ferry, initially lied to the nation claiming that only 116 passengers were on board along with13 crew. This information was a blatant lie.
The government was subsequently forced to admit that 179 were allegedly on board. 71 persons were allegedly rescued. So far 53 dead bodies have been recovered. 55 persons are still missing and presumed dead. It appears that eventually about 110 souls have perished in this tragedy, caused by the incompetence of the PPP government of Guyana. 

The MV Barima was built in 1939. It is 87 years old. This vessel should not have been in operation. It was not seaworthy. It has been reported that the Captain and other members complained bitterly in the past about conditions on the vessel and the Inoperability of the vessel. Yet, they were forced by management (the government) to keep operating the vessel. 
Since it came to power again in 2020, the PPP government has withdrawn more than US$6 billion from Guyana’s Natural Resource Fund (NRF). To date, there has been no accounting for this large sum of money. 

Why hasn’t the government purchased new vessels and properly built out the country’s transportation infrastructure, including modernizing hinterland transportation?

Why must the people of Region One, Barima-Waini suffer the risk and indignity of being transported in an 87-year old rinky dinky, dilapidated ferry? This is reckless and criminal.

Moreover, video evidence has now emerged showing the vessel was significantly overloaded to the point of taking in water. Engineers were allegedly using water pumps to remove water from the vessel. 

An obviously overloaded MV Barima just before it sank last Saturday
Why was this boat allowed to set sail into the volatile and turbulent Atlantic Ocean in the worst possible, inhumane, unseaworthy conditions? Not even animals are treated like this. Worst of all, the captain and two other crew members who were rescued allegedly tested positive for alcohol and marijuana. This is criminal. The PPP government must be held accountable for this catastrophic failure!
Meanwhile, members of the PPP government stand accused of indiscriminately stealing the country’s money and are building multiple, multimillion dollar homes to live like kings and queens. President Irfaan Ali alone has a $3-billion dollar farm and cannot account for where this money came from. 
Since coming into power, first from 1992 to 2015 and again from 2020, all PPP Government Ministers and officials, including Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo, and ministers Susan Rodrigues, Zulfikar Mustapha, Anil Nandlall and others, have gained unprecedented, unmatched wealth. Public corruption is pervasive in the cabinet. 
 These same officials are comfortable with the people of Region One traveling on the high seas and dangerous rivers in a dilapidated, old boat that should have been discarded decades ago.
President Irfaan Ali must immediately fire Minister Jun Edghill and the entire management of THD. The PPP Government must immediately purchase new vessels so that Guyanese can travel safely on our waters, albeit it being too late as over 100 our brothers and sisters have already perished and paid the ultimate price for this PPP government’s callousness, reckless policies and inhumane attitude towards the citizens to whom they’ve sworn to serve and protect. 
CGID thanks the public servants tasked with this rescue and recovery operation. We pray for victims and survivors and their families. 
CGID joins Guyanese American community leaders to invite all Guyanese and friends of Guyana in the New York tri-state to attend a candlelight vigil in remembrance of the victims of the MV Barima tragedy and their families, on Friday, July 24, 2026, at 6:30 p.m at Church and Utica Avenue, Brooklyn NY 11203.