APNU, WIN reject Ali's unilateral inquiry into MV Barima ferry disaster

What this source establishes

Denis Chabrol reports for Demerara Waves that APNU and WIN were preparing to reject President Ali's unilaterally appointed Commission of Inquiry, with joint protests planned for the following week. Dr Terrence Campbell alleges the President's move to appoint his own commission is a deliberate ploy to give the Speaker grounds to rule the opposition motion no longer important, thereby avoiding parliamentary debate. Campbell says the National Assembly should have crafted the terms of reference and should have recommended IMO representation on the panel. The report records that the GHRA had separately recommended a six-member commission appointed equally by the President and the Opposition Leader.

Figures cited in this source

unofficially more than 100 lives claimed

Key claims

• APNU and WIN were preparing a robust rejection of President Ali's unilateral commission of inquiry into the MV Barima disaster, which the report says has unofficially claimed more than 100 lives.
• Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed said WIN and APNU would 'next week' jointly protest to pressure the government into holding an independent investigation.
• APNU's parliamentary leader Dr Terrence Campbell said 'a mechanism is now in place for the entire parliamentary opposition plus extra-parliamentary parties to engage in discussions in relation to this incident and necessary actions.'
• Campbell said the 65-seat National Assembly should have been allowed to debate a motion and craft the COI's terms of reference, and should recommend that the panel include representatives of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO).
• Campbell said: 'I think that the President's move to appoint his own commission is a deliberate ploy to avoid parliamentary debate because I suspect the Speaker (of the National Assembly Manzoor Nadir) would now say that this is not important; the President has already announced that he is appointing a commission.'
• Campbell said the incident 'flows all the way up to the President', citing the delay in commissioning the MV Kalliopi N ferry until Ali was ready to commission it.
• Mohamed said Ministers Juan Edghill and Deodat Indar, whose ministries have responsibility for the THD and MARAD, should be recused and required to appear before the commission.
• Mohamed said previous commissions of inquiry have been completed without their reports being made public.
• The report states the Guyana Human Rights Association had also recommended that the president and the opposition leader equally appoint a six-member commission.
• President Ali's announcement made no reference to opposition involvement and he did not respond to calls for Edghill and Indar to resign.
• Protests are being organised, per the article's sub-headline.

Quotations

• “I think that the President's move to appoint his own commission is a deliberate ploy to avoid parliamentary debate because I suspect the Speaker (of the National Assembly Manzoor Nadir) would now say that this is not important; the President has already announced that he is appointing a commission.”— Dr Terrence Campbell, APNU parliamentary leader
• “a mechanism is now in place for the entire parliamentary opposition plus extra-parliamentary parties to engage in discussions in relation to this incident and necessary actions.”— Dr Terrence Campbell, APNU parliamentary leader
• “I hope this Commission operates independently, conducts its work transparently, and that its final report is released in full to the people of Guyana.”— Azruddin Mohamed, Leader of the Opposition

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