Family members want MV Barima to be salvaged -says Opposition Leader

Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed today said he has been meeting with survivors and grieving family members of victims of the MV Barima tragedy, and they all want the sunken ferry to be salvaged. Mr. Mohamed has offered to lend assistance in the salvaging of the vessel offshore Guyana as more than 30 persons remain missing. While the Government has indicated that it has received a number of local and international offers to assist with the salvaging of the vessel, it has also turned to relatives of the victims for their input on whether or not to salvage the vessel. Speaking today to reporters during an Amerindian Peoples Association led protest at the Office of the President, Mr. Mohamed said there should be no questions surrounding the salvaging of the vessel. He said "the families want the vessel to float and the families told me even if it is the bones self, they want the bones because it will bring some closure to them. But the Prime Minister and the Government, they don't want this vessel to float because they know they are a lot of bodies under there, and they know that when they salvage the vessel, there are a lot of mechanical problems, the anchor is not working on the vessel, the electronic systems and only one engine was working, so that is their concern how they will look", he said. Prime Minister Mark Phillips admitted to reporters on Tuesday that there may be many bodies still trapped in the sunken vessel. However, he repeatedly stated that the Government is putting the family of the victims first and therefore will rely on their input on the issue of salvaging the MV Barima. He said whether the vessel is salvaged or not, the Commission of Inquiry will go ahead with its work. Meanwhile, the Opposition Leader said he is not confident that the announced Commission of Inquiry into the ferry disaster will be able to provide any justice to the affected families and the survivors. "If Edghill and Indar are still within the system, they will influence everything that the Commission will request and so we will not get any justice from this Commission", the Opposition Leader said. The Government has not indicated when the five members of the Commission of Inquiry will be sworn in to begin their work. The Commission was announced by the President on Sunday.