Five persons died in a horrific smash-up involving a car and a pick-up on the Land of Canaan, East Bank Demerara public road last night,
Dead are brothers 20-year-old Jason and 17-year-old Julian Martin, 19-year-old Colin Fredericks of Plaisance, 16-year-old Ezra Ferguson, and 25-year-old Royston Dempster of Better Hope, East Coast Demerara. The friends had gone to a creek on the highway for the afternoon and were returning home when the accident occurred around 8 pm.
Three pedestrians were also involved in the accident and 10-year-old Priya Ali sustained several broken bones and is a patient at the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPH)
According to reports, the accident occurred at the turn at the Land of Canaan public road. The vehicle, PLL 328, that the five friends were in was heading towards the city and reportedly swerved to avoid the Ali and collided with the pick-up, GJJ 2909. The car was badly crushed.
Ali and her aunt, Nazeena Ali with her husband, Himnauth Agard were heading southwards on the right hand side of the road when the incident occurred. A shaken Nazeena told Stabroek News at the hospital, where she was awaiting treatment that they were heading home when the speeding car came around the turn. She said that it appeared to be swerving and they attempted to get away but it came too quickly. “This car just carry she (Priya) away and pitch me away”, she stated. She landed in a ditch and after recovering began looking for her niece. Agard said that he attempted to hold on to them but they were flung away. Priya was in an unconscious state but was said to be in a stable condition. Following the collision, all but Jason, the driver, were said to have been flung out of the car. It is not clear if any occupants of the pick-up were injured. Another vehicle was also involved but not in a significant way.
Large groups of relatives descended upon the GPH last evening seeking to find out if their relatives were among the dead. Screams erupted and there was loud sobbing as the relatives of some were confirmed dead.
At the Martin’s home, their grandmother, attorney-at-law, Gwendolyn Bristol was inconsolable. The first day of the Bristols’ family reunion had been held at the gymnasium on Mandela Avenue earlier yesterday and Jason had attended. The grieving woman sobbed loudly and repeatedly asked “why”. Jason had been driving his mother, Yulanda Weekes’ car. Their father, Gregory Martin, is in the United States. Bristol told Stabroek News that Jason was a mechanic and Julian was a Third Former at the Apex Academy. She said that every day she read the newspapers to them noting the crimes and accidents and warning them to be careful.
At the Fredericks’ home relatives cried and spoke about him. Neighbours were shocked at the news and wondered how other relatives would take the news that he was dead.
Nicole Ferguson, the mother of 16-year-old Ezra, a Third form student of the Cummings Lodge Secondary said that whenever he went out she kept tabs on him by calling his phone but yesterday afternoon only got his voicemail. Later in the evening, she called again and a strange voice told her to go to the hospital, where she learnt of the younger of her two sons’ death. She said that he had left the home just after mid-day yesterday and had told her that he was going to the creek.
Niki Abrams, the reputed wife of Dempster was heading to the GPH last evening, having heard about the accident and because the father of her two-year-old son, Colin had not yet returned home after leaving with the Martins, who had come to call him earlier yesterday morning. Her worst fears were confirmed upon checking at the police outpost there. Sobbing and asking why she questioned what her son was going to do without his father.
At each home, relatives turned up and many persons expressed shock at the horrific incident.
What is going on our roads today.Five innocent youths as died because of careless driving our drivers needs to be more careful especially on that same land of canaan road that claim the life of many others.I give my condolence to those families
Everyday I read SN, someone is killed or injured in a road accident and whole families are left in shock an grief. Sons, daughters, mothers and fathers lost, and they are left asking why?
A motor vehicle of any sort should be viewed as a lethal weapon and treated as such. Speeding an lack of observation are the cause of accidents the world over and usually the price is death or severe injuries.
You can’t just get into or onto a vehicle and go, you need to learn how to control your vehicle, you have to learn how to observe situations on the road ahead and how to deal with them, you have to learn how to read the road.
When I say read the road I don’t mean like how you would read a book, but if you are driving in or near a populated area slower speeds and greater care is needed. Better observation of other traffic and pedestrians is required in those places.
If you can’t see around a bend in the road or a corner then you won’t know if there is anything there, a broken down vehicle, a fallen tree an animal or people crossing, anything.
In places where people live, old people who can’t hear or see to well may be crossing. Young children play and sometime forget about traffic and if you speed you won’t have time to stop if one runs out onto the road.
I have read that Guyana is opening up tourism to and from Brazil and with that will come an increase in traffic and the fact they drive on the opposite side of the road will bring new dangers to the roads in Guyana.
If Guyana doesn’t want to start filling up its hospitals with more motor accident victims then better traffic management schemes have to be put into place. More and better road sinage and markings, better driver and pedestrian education, speed restrictions and traffic policeing so that people can use the road safely.
All the above won’t stop accidents form happening but if implemented and enforced will reduce serious injuries and fatalities on the road.
…. how many in authority read these comments ???? i am and has been consitent with my harsh criticisms on road users in GY,, and every other sphere of life,, it seems that the dailies need to be more proactive ,, in the message of caution to the G’nese people on the use of the roads ,, the electronic media too has to be involved with this ” mindlessness ” that prevails witout thought by one and all ,, it was my decision to be harsh ,, and to sound detached from the grief that many families over the years have suffered and to those who are now to suffer this ! what more can be done,, i hardly think that the straightening of the roads will make a difference ,,since every bend in the road should serve to caution all road users about the dangers of the way vehicular traffic operates in GY ,,,,,, 9 out of ten times speed is the cause !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
my condolences go to all the families another sad day for guyana !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
My goodness gracious- not only is there a brain drain in Guyana, they are also experiencing a “life” drain.
Not a day goes by without the lives of young vibrant Guyanese being snuffed out and the government has no real plan in place to put an end to this human resource bleed.
RIP
This is sad. Something needs to be done about our traffic laws.
Do you see how the little girl who was killed and the aunt picture were not posted on Stabroek Website?
As well as, read another newspaper and we findout that the driver JASON (20) was drinking and his17 year old brother was telling him to not drink so much.
Need me to say it again?
Afinam, are you suggesting that the Stabroek news is deliberately omitting information in an effort to influence public opinion? I personally disagree with your intimation and find it unfounded and inflammatory.
So, what’s your point??
Have you considered that the family may not have wanted to give pictures to SN?
Who said the little girl died, please read again if you can!!!
Afinam’
I didn’t read the other newspapers, but if what you say is true, then yes, Stabroek news is biased. This is not the first time SN prints what they want for us to feel HOW they want us to feel. I did wonder why we saw no photos of either the child or the aunt, but didmissed it to believing the family did not have any to supply…but nevertheless, hmmm.
speeding kills.
So does DRUNK DRIVERS.
my sympathy to the families involved