CHARITY, Region Two – Opposition Member of Parliament Juretha Fernandes has accused the PPP/C Government of undermining the search and recovery operation following the MV Barima tragedy, alleging that authorities have “no intention of finding your loved ones” and are more concerned with controlling the public narrative than mounting an effective rescue and recovery effort.

Speaking during a press briefing at Charity alongside fellow opposition parliamentarians, Fernandes said the government’s handling of the disaster has been marked by misinformation, poor coordination, and what she described as a lack of urgency in recovering those still missing.

According to Fernandes, from the outset the government attempted to “control the narrative,” but those efforts were undermined by eyewitness accounts gathered directly by opposition MPs on the ground. She said survivors consistently told opposition representatives that the MV Barima was overloaded, contradicting the government’s initial report that only 116 passengers were aboard. Fernandes noted that many survivors estimated there were closer to 200 people on the vessel, forcing the government to later acknowledge that its earlier passenger count was inaccurate.