(Kaieteur News) – Following a proposal by Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed to independently fund and undertake the salvage of the sunken ferry MV Barima, government has announced that the final decision on whether to raise the vessel or declare wreckage area a memorial site will be left entirely to the families of the victims.

Mohamed has critisised the administration, deeming any move to leave the vessel at the Atlantic sea floor as “premature and wicked” and an “act of cruelty” to grieving families. “Families have reached out to me saying they want the bodies of their loved ones, even if all that remain are bones. It will bring closure,” Mohamed stated. “The government did not exhaust every possible option. They have not sought out international help with the expertise and equipment to recover that vessel. Yet, they are already talking about turning it into a memorial.”

Mohamed questioned the government’s transparency, alleging that authorities are attempting to cover up systemic negligence and safety breaches. He alleged that the MV Barima had been transporting construction materials and other cargo for big businessmen and those with major projects in Region 1, cargo that should otherwise have been transported by a barge. Furthermore, he cited details coming from the captain who was arrested and charged with murder, asserting that the vessel had no functioning emergency position indicating radio beacon (EPIRB), no search and rescue transponder (SART), an inoperable anchor, no operational radar, and life rafts that had been expired since 2022. He also claimed that one of the engines was down, emphasising that an overloaded vessel needs both engines, especially to navigate rough waters.