CHARITY, Region Two – Opposition Member of Parliament Juretha Fernandes has accused the Guyana Police Force of denying MP Sherod Duncan access to his legal counsel following his arrest at Charity, where opposition parliamentarians had traveled during the ongoing response to the MV Barima tragedy.

Speaking outside the Charity Police Station, Fernandes said Duncan was taken into police custody after a confrontation over access to the area where grieving families had gathered. According to Fernandes, opposition MPs had visited Charity to obtain updates on the country’s maritime disaster and to support affected families while other parliamentarians had traveled by boat to assist with search and recovery efforts.

Fernandes alleged that when the MPs first entered the area, police officers did not object to their presence and greeted them respectfully. She claimed the situation changed only after Minister Colin Croal arrived, spoke with police officers, and officers subsequently instructed the parliamentarians to leave, stating they were acting on instructions. She said no access restrictions had previously been enforced and no checks were being made to determine whether individuals were relatives of victims.