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…“criminal action” – Edghill in outrage as manifest irregularities now hamper rescue mission

The Guyana Government has launched a comprehensive investigation after it was revealed that the captain of MV Barima, which capsized off the Essequibo Coast on Saturday night with over 100 passengers onboard, along with at least two crew members were tested positive for cannabis. This comes as authorities are also grappling with an inaccurate passenger manifest. Initially, it was reported that there were 116 passengers along with 17 crew members on board the vessel, which capsized shortly before midnight on Saturday. Up to press time on Sunday, 67 persons – 41 males, 11 females and 15 children (six boys and 9 girls) – had been rescued. Authorities also confirmed the recovery of two bodies, including a female who was found washed up amongst the mangrove on the Essequibo Coast shoreline. But during a press briefing on Sunday evening, Prime Minister (PM) Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips, revealed the troubling discoveries made during rescue efforts.

“As rescue efforts progressed today [Sunday], authorities discovered that a number of individuals who were rescued were not listed on the vessel’s official manifest. Additionally, two rescued crew members tested positive for cannabis during medical examinations conducted by healthcare personnel,” PM Phillips stated. According to the PM, who was leading the Government’s emergency response efforts, these “deeply concerning and shocking developments” has prompted an immediate investigation. “The Government has ordered an urgent and comprehensive investigation involving members of the Guyana Police Force (GPF), the Guyana Defence Force (GDF), the Maritime Administration Department (MARAD) and other technical maritime experts,” he stated. Phillips told reporters at the press briefing that the team has already commenced the probe, which will examine all of the facts and circumstances surrounding this tragedy, including the accuracy of the passenger manifest, the loading of passengers and cargo, compliance with maritime safety regulations and the conduct of the captain and crew before and during the voyage.

No tolerance
“Let me be absolutely clear, where negligence, misconduct, or criminal wrongdoing is established, those responsible will face the full force of the law. There will be no exceptions and no tolerance for actions that placed innocent lives at risk,” PM Phillips declared. Meanwhile, these revelations were described by Public Works Minister Juan Edghill as “criminal action,” as he too made it clear that no effort would be spared, especially in ensuring that those responsible are brought to justice. “To be confronted with a reality that, despite an official manifest was given to us, persons who were rescued were not manifested, that is a criminal action… And we’re taking action in that regard because life is important and nobody for the want of a few extra dollars can cheat a system or do whatever mischief you want. [This] has compromised the entire search and rescue operation because we are looking for 133 persons…[but] we don’t really know the real number right now,” an outraged Edghill contended. Moreover, the Public Works Minister went onto add, “…we have a zero tolerance for members of the crew drinking or smoking while at work. And for us to have positive tests from the Captain, I could understand a sailor, but not a captain. This is serious. People’s lives are at risk and those matters will be dealt with.” The captain along with the first engineer and a sailor were all rescued and while’s undergoing medical checkup, they were tested for alcohol use and drugs.

Following the positive results for drugs, all three of them were taken into police custody at the Anna Regina Police Station in Region Two (Pomeroon Supenaam), where they remained overnight. Another crew member, the mate, who is the second most senior person on board after the captain, was also rescued and assisted the search and rescue teams. He too was tested but nothing was found. Initially, Edghill had reported earlier on Sunday that, based on information received including from both crew and surviving passengers, MV Barima had capsized due to the rough Atlantic waters, which tilted the vessel and causing it to go under water.
But Director of the MARAD, Captain Stephen Thomas, explained during the late-night briefing that while rough waves and winds could cause a vessel to heel (rock to the sides), it should return to an upright position once there is “positive stability.”
It was noted that the investigation would unearth whether they intoxicated state of the Captain and crew members had a role in the vessel capsizing, which according to survivors occurred in less than a minute.

Mischief
In fact, out of the 67 survivors who were rescued, only 35 of them were listed on the passenger manifest. This, according to the Public Works Minister, is nothing but pure “mischief” by staff of the Transport and Habours Department (THD).
“We can’t excuse it, [it’s] mischief… There’s a traffic manager that manages the Kingston goods wharf. There’s a superintendent that is responsible for loading the vessel, whether it’s cargo or passengers. And then there’s an officer responsible for revenue because if you’re putting on cargo, you got to pay for it. And if persons are going on the boat, they got to be paid… Those persons are now the subject of an investigation. What action will be taken will be determined by the outcome [of the probe,” he noted.
Edghill further indicated that immediately following the press briefing, he would be meeting with senior officials of the THD including all the managers of the various departments.

Search and rescue mission continues
Meanwhile, the search and rescue mission continues with assistance from both state agencies as well as the private sector. In fact, ExxonMobil Guyana has made available a vessel equipped with a scanner that can detect life underwater. However, the search is also still underway to locate the vessel, which has sunk.
Divers have also been deployed as the search and rescue efforts were expanded from an initial 400-square-kilometre area to 1070 square kilometres (km). Additionally, local fisherfolks have also joined the efforts to locate remaining passengers.

Injuries
Meanwhile, Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony said on Sunday evening, that most of the persons rescued received minor injuries. However, four persons were kept overnight in the hospital for further observation.
The MV Barima is licensed to carry 284 tonnes of cargo and up 397 passengers. The initial cargo manifesto indicated that some 268 tonnes on board – a figure authority were reviewing given the inaccuracies detected.
Similarly, efforts were being made up to late Sunday night to ascertain the true number of passengers on board the vessel.
While the Government has released the full list of the 67 survivors as well as the passenger manifest, members of the public who had relatives or know anyone that were on board the vessel but is not named on either list to contact the authorities.
The Government has established three Emergency Family Assistance Centres across the country. These centres are located at the Umana Yana in Kingstown, Georgetown; at the Port Kaituma Community Centre in Region One and at the NAREI Extension Centre in Kumaka, Mabaruma also in Region One.

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By Dr Tariq Jagnarine

Fam Med, Endocrinology

Children are naturally curious. They explore their surroundings by touching, tasting, and placing objects in their mouths, noses, and ears. Unfortunately, ordinary household items such as coins, beads, food, toy parts, batteries, and magnets can become dangerous foreign bodies.
As a clinician, I have seen how quickly a normal day can become frightening for a family. A child may be playing happily and, within seconds, begin coughing, choking, or struggling to breathe. In other cases, no one witnesses the event, and the first clue may be unexplained drooling, persistent coughing, or an unpleasant discharge from one nostril.
Parents often arrive frightened and blaming themselves. My role is not only to assess the child, but also to reassure the family, establish what may have happened and determine whether urgent removal is required. These situations have taught me that even a child who appears comfortable may still have a dangerous foreign body.

Why are young children particularly vulnerable?
Children younger than five years are at the greatest risk because they have narrow airways, are developing chewing skills, and have limited awareness of danger. They may also be unable to explain what they swallowed, inhaled, or inserted.
Common foreign bodies include:

• Coins
• Beads and buttons
• Small toy parts
• Pen caps
• Seeds, peas, and pieces of sponge
• Fish or chicken bones
• Nuts, popcorn, sweets, and whole grapes
• Button batteries
• High-powered magnets
• Jewellery, screws, and pins

The level of danger depends on the type of object, its size, its location, and whether it is blocking breathing or damaging nearby tissues.

Foreign bodies in the airway
Food is one of the most common causes of choking in children. Peanuts, popcorn, hard sweets, whole grapes, chunks of meat, raw vegetables, and small bones may completely or partially obstruct the airway.
A child with complete airway obstruction may suddenly become unable to speak, cry, cough, or breathe. The child may clutch the throat, appear distressed, turn blue, or lose consciousness.
Not every inhaled object causes complete choking. An object may travel deeper into one lung and cause:
• Sudden coughing
• Persistent wheezing
• Noisy breathing
• Difficulty breathing
• Reduced air movement on one side of the chest
• Recurrent chest infections
Sometimes the initial coughing settles and the child appears normal. This can create false reassurance. A suspected inhaled object still requires urgent medical assessment because symptoms may return hours, days, or even weeks later (Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne, 2024a).

What should you do if a child is choking?
If the child is coughing strongly, encourage continued coughing and watch closely.
If the child cannot breathe, speak, cry, or cough effectively, call 911 immediately while first aid is being administered.
For an infant younger than one year:
1. Give up to five firm back blows between the shoulder blades.
2. If the object is not expelled, give up to five chest thrusts.
3. Continue alternating back blows and chest thrusts until the object is expelled or the infant becomes unresponsive.
4. Never perform abdominal thrusts on an infant.
For a child older than one year:
1. Give up to five firm back blows.
2. If unsuccessful, give up to five abdominal thrusts.
3. Continue alternating these actions until the object is expelled or the child becomes unresponsive.
If the child becomes unresponsive, begin cardiopulmonary resuscitation if trained and follow the emergency dispatcher’s instructions. Never perform a blind finger sweep, as it may push the object deeper. Any child who receives chest or abdominal thrusts should be medically assessed, even if the object comes out (Resuscitation Council UK, 2025).

Swallowed objects
Many smooth objects eventually pass through the digestive system. However, caregivers should not assume that every swallowed object is harmless.
Seek urgent medical attention if the child develops:
• Excessive drooling
• Difficulty or pain when swallowing
• Refusal to eat or drink
• Repeated vomiting
• Neck, chest or abdominal pain
• Coughing or difficulty breathing
• Blood in vomit or stool
• Abdominal swelling
• Fever or unusual weakness
Sharp objects, large objects, magnets, batteries, and objects containing lead require urgent assessment.

Button batteries are medical emergencies
Button batteries are found in toys, watches, remote controls, calculators, hearing aids and electronic decorations. When lodged in the oesophagus, a battery can produce an electrical current and cause severe tissue injury within approximately two hours. Even an old or apparently flat battery may remain dangerous.
If a button battery may have been swallowed:
• Take the child to the nearest emergency department immediately.
• Do not wait for symptoms to develop.
• Do not induce vomiting.
• Do not allow the child to eat or drink unless advised by a healthcare professional.
If the child is at least 12 months old, can swallow normally and the battery was swallowed within the previous 12 hours, give two teaspoons, or 10 mL, of honey every 10 minutes for up to six doses while travelling to the hospital. Do not delay transportation to obtain honey. Honey may slow tissue injury, but it does not replace urgent removal. Honey must not be given to infants younger than 12 months (National Capital Poison Center, 2026).
A button battery placed inside the nose or ear is also an emergency.
Magnets can damage the bowel
High-powered magnets can attract each other through separate loops of bowel. This may trap the bowel wall, cut off its blood supply, and cause obstruction, perforation, infection or death.
Swallowing more than one magnet or swallowing a magnet with another metal object is particularly dangerous. Any suspected magnet ingestion requires urgent hospital assessment and imaging, even if the child appears well (Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne, 2024b).

Objects in the nose or ear
Children commonly place beads, seeds, peas, paper, sponge, stones and toy parts into their noses or ears.
Possible warning signs include:
• Pain or discomfort
• Bleeding
• Nasal blockage
• Reduced hearing
• Ear or nasal discharge
• An unpleasant-smelling discharge from one nostril
In clinical practice, a persistent unpleasant-smelling discharge from only one nostril should always raise suspicion of a retained foreign body, particularly in a young child.
Do not insert cotton buds, tweezers, hairpins or other instruments into the nose or ear. Repeated attempts may push the object deeper, cause bleeding or damage the eardrum. Keep the child calm and seek medical care (NHS, 2021).

Foreign bodies in the eye or skin
Dust or a loose eyelash may sometimes be removed by gently rinsing the eye with clean water. The child should not rub the eye. Persistent pain, redness, sensitivity to light, blurred vision or an object embedded in the eye requires urgent assessment.
Do not pull out a large or deeply embedded object from the skin. Removing it may worsen bleeding or damage nearby structures. Cover the area carefully and seek medical attention. The wound should also be assessed for infection and the child’s tetanus vaccination status reviewed.

Prevention begins at home
As both a clinician and parent, I understand that it is impossible to watch a child every second. Prevention must, therefore, involve creating a safer environment. Parents and caregivers should:
• Store batteries, coins, magnets and small objects out of children’s reach
• Ensure battery compartments are secured with screws
• Select toys appropriate for the child’s age
• Check toys regularly for loose or broken parts
• Cut grapes and similar foods lengthwise into smaller pieces
• Avoid nuts, popcorn, and hard sweets in young children
• Ensure children sit calmly while eating
• Discourage running, laughing or playing with food in the mouth
• Teach older children to keep small toys away from younger siblings
• Learn paediatric first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation
Foreign body incidents can happen in any family. They are not always the result of poor supervision, but their consequences can be severe.
My advice to parents is simple: remain calm, do not repeatedly attempt to remove the object and seek help promptly. Button batteries, magnets, sharp objects and suspected inhaled objects should never be managed by waiting at home. Early recognition and appropriate action can prevent a minor accident from becoming a lifelong tragedy.

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Governments, regional leaders and diplomatic missions have expressed condolences and solidarity with Guyana following the capsizing of the MV Barima, as search and rescue operations continue for passengers who remain missing. In separate statements on Sunday, the United States (US), the European Union (EU), Caricom, the Governments of Jamaica, St Kitts and Nevis, Trinidad and Tobago along with the Chinese Embassy in Guyana, offered support to Guyana while paying tribute to the rescuers involved in the ongoing operation. The Delegation of the EU in Guyana said it was “deeply saddened” by the capsizing of the MV Barima.
“The news of the capsizing of the MV Barima is deeply saddening. Our thoughts are with those who remain missing, their loved ones and everyone affected by this tragic incident,” the delegation stated. It also commended the rescue efforts, saying the “tireless efforts, courage and dedication” of everyone involved in the operation were deeply commendable. “The European Union stands in solidarity with Guyana during this difficult time. We hope and pray for the safe recovery of those who remain unaccounted for,” the statement added. The US Embassy in Guyana also expressed sadness over the incident, extending condolences to the families of those aboard the vessel. “The US Embassy is deeply saddened by the sinking of the MV Barima. Our heartfelt condolences go to the families of those on board, passengers and crew alike,” the Embassy said. It also recognised the work of emergency responders. “We honour the courage of every rescuer who answered the call in the dark hours of the night and who continue their mission today. We pray for the safe recovery of all those still missing.”

Caribbean is one family
Prime Minister (PM) of St Kitts and Nevis, Dr Terrance Drew, said the tragedy had affected people across the Caribbean. “Like so many across our Caribbean region, I am deeply saddened by the tragic ferry incident in Guyana,” he stated. Dr Drew said his thoughts and prayers were with the people and Government of Guyana, particularly the families awaiting news of their loved ones. He also offered prayers for those who had been rescued and the first responders continuing search and rescue operations under difficult circumstances. “In moments like these, we are reminded that the Caribbean is one family,” he said, adding that the people and Government of St Kitts and Nevis stood with “our brothers and sisters in Guyana,” sharing in their sorrow and hoping for the best possible outcome for those still unaccounted for. Jamaica’s PM Andrew Holness also expressed solidarity with Guyana. “I am deeply saddened by the capsizing of the MV Barima and the distress this incident has caused,” Holness said. He extended solidarity on behalf of the Government and people of Jamaica to President Dr Irfaan Ali, the Government and people of Guyana and especially to the families and loved ones of those affected.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone impacted by this event, as well as the brave rescue teams who continue their efforts with dedication and courage. We pray for strength and comfort for all those affected,” he added. PM of Trinidad and Tobago Kamla Persad-Bissessar said her Government was deeply saddened by the incident and the significant loss of life it may have caused. On behalf of the Government and people of Trinidad and Tobago, she extended condolences to President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali and the people of Guyana. “Our thoughts and prayers are with all those affected by this tragedy, especially the families of those who remain missing or who have lost loved ones,” she said.
Persad-Bissessar also paid tribute to the rescue teams, noting that air and naval assets, along with personnel from the Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force, were supporting the recovery efforts. She added that Trinidad and Tobago stood in solidarity with Guyana as families awaited the safe return of their loved ones and expressed hope that those still unaccounted for would be found as search and rescue operations continued. Caricom also issued a statement expressing sadness over the capsizing of the passenger ferry off the Atlantic coast near the Pomeroon River.
The regional body said it continued to closely follow the ongoing search and rescue operation involving passengers and crew. Caricom extended prayers and support to the families awaiting news of their loved ones and paid tribute to the courage, dedication and selfless efforts of the rescue teams and all those responding in the aftermath of the incident.
The organisation noted that the response was being led by the relevant arms of the Government of Guyana and included private vessel operators who mobilised overnight in challenging conditions to save lives. Caricom reaffirmed its solidarity with the Government and people of Guyana, particularly the families and communities affected by the disaster.

Assistance
Meanwhile, the Chinese Embassy in Guyana said it was closely monitoring the incident and the ongoing search and rescue operations. The Embassy extended its sincere sympathies to the Government and people of Guyana and expressed concern for the passengers, crew members and their families. It said it sincerely hoped the rescue operations would proceed smoothly and that everyone aboard would return safely. The Embassy also stated that China stands ready to provide assistance within its capacity in light of Guyana’s needs.

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Police are investigating a suspected murder-suicide and attempted murder that claimed the lives of two people and left another woman injured on Saturday night at La Parfaite Harmonie, West Bank Demerara (WBD). Dead are 42-year-old shop owner Ana Trotman of La Parfaite Harmonie and 47-year-old John Trotman of Onderneeming, WBD. Ana Trotman’s 59-year-old mother, Tandie Ashley, sustained gunshot injuries during the incident and is currently receiving medical treatment.

According to Police, the incident occurred between 21:45h and 22:15h at a residence in La Parfaite Harmonie. Preliminary investigations revealed that an argument reportedly broke out at the residence shortly before several loud explosions were heard. Police ranks and emergency medical personnel responded to the scene, where Ana Trotman and John Trotman were found with gunshot injuries. The injured 59-year-old woman was transported to the West Demerara Regional Hospital (WDRH), where she remains under medical care. Reports are that the couple had been separated for about a year and their six children were living with their mother and grandmother. On Saturday, after a telephone call with one of the children, John Trotman went over to the house were an argument ensued and gunshots were heard.

The man then kicked open a bedroom door where the children and their grandmother had retreated and fired several shots. Tandie Ashley was injured as a result. The children then later found their father dead in the kitchen and their mother dead in the living room. During their examination of the scene, investigators recovered a Taurus .32 calibre pistol, nine spent .32 calibre shells and 30 live rounds of ammunition. The items were lodged as evidence pending further investigations. The bodies of the two deceased were taken to WDRH, where a doctor on duty pronounced them dead on arrival. They were later transferred to the Ezekiel Funeral Home, where post-mortem examinations (PME) are pending.
Investigations are continuing.

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The People’s Progressive Party’s formal abandonment of Marxism-Leninism closed one chapter in Guyana’s political history but opened another. That decision is less significant for what it rejects than for the question it now poses: if not Marxism-Leninism, then what? The answer cannot simply be “neoliberalism”.
The collapse of the Soviet model worldwide – and Burnham’s cooperative socialist one here – settled the argument over whether the state should own the “commanding heights of the economy”. Experience has shown that centrally planned economies struggle to innovate, allocate capital efficiently, or satisfy the aspirations of increasingly educated populations. Guyana, enriched by unprecedented oil revenues and integrating into the global economy, has no need to revisit that experiment.
Yet the opposite extreme deserves no less scrutiny. For four decades, neoliberalism – imposed here in 1989 through IMF “conditionalities” – has championed deregulation, privatization, reduced taxation, labour market flexibility and the supremacy of markets. It has undoubtedly generated wealth. But it has also concentrated wealth. Across much of the developed world, productivity has risen while wage growth has stagnated. Public infrastructure has often deteriorated while private fortunes have multiplied. Economic growth has not automatically translated into broad-based prosperity.
Fortunately, the government seems determined not to import those contradictions. Our country’s greatest advantage is that it begins this new phase with extraordinary fiscal capacity. Oil revenues provide a rare opportunity to shape markets rather than merely react to them. The challenge is therefore not choosing between the state and the market. It is designing a partnership in which each performs the functions it performs best.
Markets remain unmatched in rewarding initiative, encouraging entrepreneurship and allocating resources efficiently. Private investment and entrepreneurship must continue to drive innovation, create employment and expand exports. Guyana’s future depends upon entrepreneurs operating in a regulatory environment that is transparent, competitive and free from unnecessary bureaucracy.
But governments possess strengths that markets do not. Only governments can ensure universal education, healthcare, public security, environmental stewardship and modern infrastructure. Only governments can correct regional imbalances that markets often ignore. Only governments can guarantee that every child—whether born in Georgetown, Lethem, Port Kaituma or Mabaruma—begins life with genuine opportunity rather than inherited disadvantage. This is not socialism. It is intelligent capitalism.
A modern developmental state does not seek to replace private enterprise. It seeks to cultivate it. Singapore, South Korea and, increasingly, several Gulf states demonstrate that governments can actively guide development while preserving vibrant private sectors. Strategic investments in ports, digital infrastructure, technical education, research, renewable energy and industrial parks can crowd in private investment rather than crowd it out.
Guyana is embracing what economists increasingly describe as “inclusive capitalism.” Workers are not merely receiving wages; they are being given opportunities to accumulate assets – especially housing. The government is creating accessible capital markets to allow ordinary Guyanese to participate directly in wealth creation. They are using oil revenues not simply to spend but to invest. Every dollar directed toward education, vocational training, scientific research, digital connectivity and resilient infrastructure expands the productive capacity of future generations. While cash-grant fueled consumption satisfies today’s voters, investment enriches tomorrow’s citizens.
This vision is entirely consistent with the PPP’s historic commitment to working people. Being pro-worker in the twenty-first century need not mean opposing business. Workers need profitable businesses because profitable businesses create employment. Businesses need educated, healthy and secure workers because productivity depends upon human capital.
The ideological labels of the twentieth century have become increasingly obsolete. The practical questions of the twenty-first are different. How can artificial intelligence complement rather than replace workers? How can oil wealth finance a diversified economy? How can rapid growth avoid producing entrenched inequality? How can entrepreneurship flourish while ensuring that opportunity remains genuinely open to all? These are not Marxist questions or neoliberal questions. They are Guyanese questions.
Our circumstances are unique: a small, resource-rich, multi-ethnic democracy with extraordinary revenues and extraordinary expectations. We can therefore afford to craft our own model—one that welcomes markets without worshipping them, values enterprise without excusing excess, and recognizes that economic growth is meaningful only when its benefits are widely shared, especially among our several ethnic groups.

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Two men were found dead in a pickup which overturned and submerged in a concrete drain along the Henry Public Road (Eccles-to-Ogle Bypass), East Bank Demerara (EBD) on Sunday morning. Dead are 38-year-old Brian Sookram of Lot 3 Crown Dam, Industry, East Coast Demerara (ECD), who was the driver of motor pickup GRR 5251 and 35-year-old Leon Sookdeo of Lot 998 Diamond New Scheme, EBD, who was a passenger.

According to preliminary investigations, the pickup was discovered turned turtle in a concrete drain on the southern side of the roadway. The drain, estimated to be about 15 feet wide and 10 feet deep, contained water and dense vegetation. Police said the vehicle was removed by a tow truck in the presence of investigators, during which the bodies of both men were found motionless inside. The scene was examined by ranks from Regional Police Division 4B. The men were transported to the Diamond Regional Hospital, where they were pronounced dead on arrival.

Their bodies were later taken to the Memorial Gardens Funeral Home Mortuary, where they are being stored pending post-mortem examinations (PME). Investigators also processed the scene and examined the vehicle. Police said efforts to locate CCTV footage and eyewitnesses were unsuccessful. The pickup has since been lodged at the SAGE Pond Police Outpost as investigations continue.

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