Walton accuses AG of "poisoning" possible jury pool in MV Barima case with public comments

Attorney General Anil Nandlall's recent public statements that the Captain and the crew member who were charged for murder in the MV Barima tragedy were drunk and under the influence, have caught the attention of Opposition Member of Parliament and Attorney, Amanza Walton. The Attorney General made the comments two nights ago on his television programme. Appearing on the political talk show, In the Ring with MP Sherod Duncan, Ms. Walton said it is clear that the Attorney General's comments are meant to prejudice the case and poison any possible jury pool. "Outside of the fact that the Captain and the First Mate don't steer the ship, that is done by a Helmsman, but he is just ignorant of how these things operate, but the other thing he has done is that he has prejudiced these three gentlemen ability to get a fair trial in Guyana, because he has poisoned the jury pool. How are these men going to get a fair trial of 12 of their peers when the Chief Legal Officer of the Government has been the judge, jury and executioner in their case, he has prejudiced them, he has prejudiced their case and there is no way these men will get a fair trial", she said. Walton said it is clear that the charges against the three men are meant to shield the Government from responsibility and to turn attention away from the faults by the Government. "For political expediency and because they want somebody to pin something on and they have to provide somebody for people to be angry at, so that the anger is not directed towards them, and their administrative oversight and failure and the fact that they have an 87-year-old vessel on the water, and the fact that this boat was declared un-seaworthy on at least two occasions", she stated. The Forward Guyana Movement leader has said the pursuit of justice is not about satisfying public anger by finding someone to blame, but rather it is about ensuring that responsibility is placed where the evidence leads, fairly, lawfully, and without fear or favour. She said the families of the victims deserve the full truth, and Guyana deserves accountability at every level.