SUSPEND PARLIAMENT'S AGENDA TO ADDRESS MV BARIMA TRAGEDY — CAMPBELL

What this source establishes

HGPTV reports Dr Terrence Campbell's radio interview case for suspending standing orders so Monday's sitting can be devoted to the disaster and to setting the Commission of Inquiry's composition, scope and terms of reference. It includes his firsthand account of visiting the search area and seeing the bodies of children, and his allegation that the operation appeared heavily dependent on private vessels, fishermen and resources mobilised by Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed. The report records the government's counter-figures of 19 maritime vessels and three aircraft over a search area of roughly 2,100 square kilometres.

Figures cited in this source

72 bodies recovered as of Thursday evening (23 July)

Key claims

• APNU parliamentarian Dr Terrence Campbell wants the National Assembly to suspend its scheduled agenda on Monday and devote the sitting to the MV Barima tragedy.
• Campbell said on New Day on GoMoseley Radio: 'I would like to see a suspension of the standing orders for us to discuss this incident.'
• Campbell said: 'There are bills for discussion. There is a supplementary financial bill, but none of that rises to the level of importance of a discussion on this tragedy.'
• Campbell wants the Assembly to help determine the composition, scope and terms of reference of the promised Commission of Inquiry.
• As of Thursday evening, 72 bodies had been recovered; the failure of the original manifest to record everyone aboard continued to complicate efforts to determine how many remain unaccounted for.
• Campbell described the capsizing as the largest loss of Guyanese lives from a single event in the country's history, noting that although the 1978 Jonestown tragedy killed hundreds, most of those victims were not Guyanese.
• Campbell said: 'Accountability must go from top to bottom.'
• Campbell questioned why recently acquired vessels were reportedly unavailable for the route and why government helicopters were not more effectively deployed during the initial emergency response.
• The government said 19 maritime vessels and three aircraft were operating across a search area of approximately 2,100 square kilometres.
• Campbell maintained that what he observed appeared heavily dependent on private vessels, fishermen and resources mobilised by Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed.
• Campbell renewed his call for Public Works Minister Juan Edghill to resign, citing ministerial responsibility: 'You take responsibility when a major catastrophe like this takes place under your watch.'
• Campbell accused the administration of failing to brief or involve the parliamentary opposition since the tragedy.

Quotations

• “I would like to see a suspension of the standing orders for us to discuss this incident.”— Dr Terrence Campbell, APNU MP
• “There are bills for discussion. There is a supplementary financial bill, but none of that rises to the level of importance of a discussion on this tragedy.”— Dr Terrence Campbell, APNU MP
• “I'm a little emotional because I've been out there. I've seen a baby. I've seen teenagers. I've seen adults.”— Dr Terrence Campbell, APNU MP
• “Accountability must go from top to bottom.”— Dr Terrence Campbell, APNU MP
• “You take responsibility when a major catastrophe like this takes place under your watch. You resign and allow someone else to come in.”— Dr Terrence Campbell, APNU MP

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