- community needs to come together, says Prakash Gossai
Another Better Hope resident was held yesterday for questioning into the brutal stabbing to death of construction foreman Latchman Persaud and a third suspect is being sought.
Hindu religious leader Shri Prakash Gossai comforts Latchman Persaud’s grieving widow Swarsattie Etwaroo yesterday at her Better Hope, East Coast Demerara home. The grief-stricken woman is holding her one-year-old son. (Photo courtesy of Shri Prakash Gossai)
Stabroek News understands that the man was picked up in the East Coast Demerara village yesterday afternoon and taken to the Sparendaam Police Station. The other suspect in custody had turned up at the same police station with his father on Monday and after giving a statement, he was detained.
Meanwhile, a post-mortem examination will be conducted on Persaud’s remains today and he will be buried on Saturday.
Persaud, called ‘Boyo’, of Better Hope South, was fatally stabbed on Sunday around 10 pm in the village. It was his birthday.
In a statement issued yesterday, police said investigations have revealed that Persaud was at home and left shortly after receiving a telephone call.
He was later heard shouting for help and upon checking he was discovered in front of his residence with stab wounds to the body. He was taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
A knife, suspected to have been used in the attack, was recovered at the scene by the police and a man was arrested, the statement added.
Relatives told Stabroek News that jealousy over Persaud’s recent promotion to the post of foreman was what led to the tragedy.
According to the reports reaching this newspaper, two villagers, one of whom had held the foreman position until he was recently fired and his son-in-law had made life for Persaud miserable over the last few weeks.
The men were upset over his progress and the fact that they were fired.
Change
Yesterday, during a visit to the community, Hindu leader Shri Prakash Gossai called on Better Hope residents to live closer together and to attend their various places of worship. He urged religious and social organisations to get involved to help get rid of some of the social ills in society and not just make issues such as HIV the focus.
Gossai told Stabroek News yesterday that he was shocked to read in the media that the whole incident arose out of jealousy and as a result he decided to visit the community. He said when he arrived, there were about 14 persons at the dead man’s home and the number was more than double when he left. He said that Persaud’s mother and his 17-year-old wife were in tears while he visited the home.
Gossai, speaking in his capacity as a Hindu priest, told the gathering that paying attention to religion and religious thoughts could lead to a better way of life. He opined that had the attacker had someone, or even members of a community-based organisation, to whom he could have voiced his frustration, the incident might have been prevented. “We could set up a base where persons can feel free to discuss their problems. My firm belief is that attending places of worship could solve problems like this,” he said.
He called on all organisations to broaden their missions and look at things that are affecting communities and not just those affecting society as a whole.
This is a really sad story and my heart goes out to his family. He was obviously an industrious young man.
PS Ok I know this is probably common (is it?) and I am probably Methuselah but 17 with a one year old …. would mean pregnant at 15 …….. doubly sad!
Like I said before Guyanese have lost their values, we have no respect for the elderly, women. and ourselves. Our morals are lost our sense of pride left a long time ago.We no longer teach our kids what’s right from wrong we let the television baby sit our kids.When I was 15 I would not even think of sex I had too much to keep me busy, now kids are having kids JUST LIKE AMERICA.My condolences go out to both families and I hope this young lady gets an education so she can provide for her child.
My Condolences. Hope to read in the near future of the charges, guilty verdicts and most of all about the carrying out of the penalty for the crime!
Hang these criminals.They have no place in modern society. Guyana needs shariah law now to deal with all those who want to make lofe uneasy for law abiging citizens. All those who steal, murder and rape need to be dealth with in the harshest manner. Implement shariah law and then you will see how quick the jails will be empty.
zainno:::you said::::Implement shariah law and then you will see how quick the jails will be empty.
I now ask you>>would you like shariah laws be implemented in Canada too???
For your inof Guyana is not an islamic fanatic counrty nor do Canada…..
Would you like to see one of your female family “whipped in public for not wearing a burka”
Would you like the Canadian Govt to tell your female family member that she must not drive a car or be educated?
Would you like to see a female family member of yours placed in a hole in the ground and stoned to death because she comitted adultry?
Would you have a female family member of yours “raped by six male villagers” simply because she talked with a man/boy of a lower cast?
Those are just a few of shariah laws you are asking for…..
Beware of what youre calling for……..
Zainno, I take offense with u mentioning Shariah Law. It indicates that u you are a religious and lefist fanatic who disrespect women and their rights and believe men should enslave them. Also you are not aware of the ignorance of this “law” and the amount of women who have been abused and maimed bacuse of it. No man is more intelligent than any woman, we were all born equal. Just look at the world today and the chaos in societies that practice this law.
Squeeze/roughup/pressure would bawl the names of all involved, including the author intellectual.
Arnold, I agree with you to squeeze, rough up these senseless people, but do not forget how much criticism the govt. will get for torture, then the human rights, these criminals, drugs, shooters, when caught have more humane rights and lawyers to defend them. when innocent people are killed or lose their loved one, what do they get? how crazy can we get? these people who are outside have to commit such hienous crimes to go to jail and they complain about smell, when they themselves kill to be there in the smelly place. the govt. should put them all in there to clean up their own mess, period. we should have the death penalty and whipping. no less, take a life and give yours bacvk.
better idea: “arrest every suspect in the village and squeeze and rough up all a dem and the guilty one gun confess.” Sound sensible? nah STUPID!
Just the look on this young woman’s face brings tears to my eyes. This senseless blood letting must stop. I agree with the Hindu Priest 100%.
hey soesdyke, where you been hiding????????????????
Congratulations on the birth of your little one Soesdyke! What a BLESSED Christmas gift for you and your family. Best Wishes!~
……ok ,,,, i agree this act is not from mindlessness,,, rather it’s a premeditated act of MURDER resulting from,,,,, what else ????? MINDLESSNESS ! ,,,, of course it’s what happens to the mind when it has been altered by the influence of the alcohol and drugs by those who r mentally maladjusted and is “un – able” to
” reason ” rationally thus making them “able ” to calculate the consequences of their actions………
Brillant professor.
it is indeed very humane of Mr. Gossai to have taken the time out to speak to the grieving family, they need much support in this tragedy. i totally agree with him that we need to have more religious intervention for our young kids, adolescents and all people. Mr. Gossai’s bhajans and lectures at various places have inspired me a lot. our culture and teachings should not be wasted so senselessly with greed, jealousy and hatred for other people., for this journey in life is a strange one. we need to focus our thoughts on the Almighty, for from His source all good things come, and when we are trained and educated religiously, only then can we be able to sipher out what is good for us and throw out what is evil. my condolences to this family, and am confident with the help of Mr. Gossai, something better will be given to that community and our young people.
religion has been around for ages and still they havent been able to stop the mind of the people, so that means religion is not working in human life if so we would have all been angels already.
Of all the tragic incidents that have been reported in SN, this one really got my attention and saddens me for the mere fact that this young man …Mr. Persaud …a husband and a father…was cut down in the “spring time of his youth” over a promotion. To the grieving mother of this young man …your son was a “role model” and you’d be proud of him for what he was able to achieve during his short time on this earth. To the grieving wife and son ….your husband and dad was a great guy, who did not deserve to die in this way. To the killer or killers …when you’re caught and sentence..I hope you spend a long time behind bars reflecting on the lives and families that you’ve destroyed by your cowardly act.
First of all people in our country should try to avoid jealosy. This is the down fall in Guyanese people. When them see one man getting up they try to pull him down. My deepest sympaty to the young siventeen year mother. May mother Latchmin me guide her though this stressful moment.
Thanks to the priest for visiting the family and bringing some comfort to them .
My condolences to the family .
Jealousy caused this , can’t believe I’m reading this !
Glad they have a susupect , I hope they don’t let this one escape.
This is to show the ignorance that’s destroying our society .
Get all the hooligans involved and put them away , until they’re really old and can hardly walk , please !