(Kaieteur News) – In the wake of what is being described as Guyana’s deadliest maritime disaster, calls have intensified for Minister of Public Works Juan Edghill to resign or be removed from office pending an independent investigation into the capsizing of the MV Barima.

The 87-year-old vessel capsized on the night of July 18 while en route to Port Kaituma, Region One, claiming 73 lives, with dozens still missing. As bodies continue to be recovered from the Atlantic Ocean and details of the tragedy emerge, politicians, civil society groups and members of the public have argued that accountability should extend beyond the crew members and vessel management team who have already been sent home, to Minister Edghill himself.

On July 19, Edghill dismissed claims that the vessel was overloaded or had suffered engine failure, stating that the MV Barima was licensed to carry 284 tonnes of cargo and that its manifest showed 268 tonnes on board. He also said the vessel was licensed to carry 397 passengers but that only 116 were on board at the time of the incident. The following day, however, he acknowledged a discrepancy in the passenger count, conceding that the manifest did not accurately reflect the number of people on board.