Truck driver was drunk – police
One more person has succumbed as a result of Saturday’s grisly Mahaica crash, taking the death toll to six and the police last night railed against recklessness on the roads revealing that the truck driver had 242 microgrammes of alcohol above the legal limit.
Dead: Cynique Fraser
The latest person to pass away is 32-year-old Joshua Johnson of Number Four Village, West Coast Berbice (WCB). His sister, Rhonda Mc Donald told this newspaper that her brother suffered severe head injuries. Despite the extent of his injuries, she said relatives were still clinging to hope that her brother would make it because he was fully conscious and was talking. She said he died around 4 am yesterday. The man who worked as a mason on the West Coast of Demerara, returned home most weekends.
The packed minibus, BKK 3274 which was travelling to Berbice smashed into the rear of a truck at Strangroen, Mahaica just before 7 pm on Saturday.
Those who died on Saturday evening were the driver Gary McAlmont of No. 28 Village, West Coast Berbice (WCB); Mary Blair of Hope Village, WCB; Patrina Munroe of Plantation Ross, WCB; Troyland Douglas of Weldaad, WCB and Cynique Fraser of Lovely Lass, WCB.
Dead: Gary McAlmont
In a statement last night, the Commissioner of Police expressed grave concern over the accident. The Police Force added “Indeed one would empathise with the family of the driver of the mini-bus at his demise, but all Guyanese must be gravely concerned at this wanton destruction of lives by another reckless driver and supported more or less by a drunken truck driver who when tested by breath analysis scored 242 microgrammes above the legal limit (alcohol).”
Dead: Joshua Johnson
Dead: Mary Blair
The Force called on Guyanese to urge drivers of public transportation who are reckless to slow down and stop in addition to reporting them to the authorities. The force said it will give support to all those who provide such information.
“Amazingly, there are some who support the activities of these reckless drivers and they should bow their heads in shame”, the Force declared. This macabre accident has come amid National Road Safety Month.
Groaning
Rhonda said her brother fought for his life and felt that “if he wasn’t strong he would have died earlier.” Johnson, the last of 14 siblings had called their mother, Ernestine during the day and told her that he was coming home early that evening.
She said she received a call around 7:30 about the accident and by the time they got to the Mahaicony Hospital he had already been transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital.
She, along with other relatives went there but could hardly bear to look at him. They also learnt that he was “groaning in pain and blood was gushing out from his mouth, nose and ears.”
Dead: Patrina Munroe
Dead: Troyland Douglas
His mother took the news of his death really badly as this was the second time she had lost a child in an accident.
When this newspaper visited the Number 28 Village, WCB home of Gary Mc Almont, 49, also called ‘Percy’ or ‘Mack,’ driver of the ill-fated minibus, named, ‘Zion’ his wife, Beverly was too distraught to speak.
Her 16-year-old son Gevon said he was at lessons when “sir told me that my mother called and wanted me to go home now. When I saw my cousins who came to pick me up I suspected something but they did not tell me what happened.”
“Then my cousin’s phone rang and he was saying ‘yea, the guy dead’ and then I had the feeling they were referring to my father.”
Gevon said when he got home he saw a lot of people and his worst fears were confirmed. He did not see his father that morning when he left for work but saw him later when he dropped the newspaper after his first trip.
He said his father was returning from Georgetown after the second trip when the accident occurred. Relatives went to the scene shortly after and retrieved Mc Almont’s driver’s licence, his jewellery and money.
Injured: Doreen Dutchin
Gevon said his father had several years’ experience as a minibus driver and had owned another bus which he later sold. He started operating someone’s bus until he bought ‘Zion’ three years ago.
Mc Almont was a very active member of the Bush Lot Assemblies of God Church who sang in the church’s choir.
Workshop
Troyland Douglas, 29, of Weldaad, WCB who worked as a carpenter/mason was returning home from Georgetown where he travelled daily to ply his trade. His reputed wife, Vanessa Wilson said he would normally get home around 8 pm.
She said she received the news about the accident and by the time she got to the hospital he was already dead. His mother, Shelly Hope who resides in Linden said she last saw her son three weeks ago.
She said she spoke to her son a few hours before she received the shocking news of his death. He also leaves to mourn his four children and six siblings.
Relatives of Patrina Munroe, 26, of Ross, WCB who was a student of the University of Guyana and a teacher of the Fort Wellington Secondary School said she had left for Georgetown since Monday to attend a workshop.
They said she had called her fiancé and told him she was in a bus to go home. Although they heard about the accident around 7:30 pm they did not realize she was involved. They became concerned though, after calls to her phone went to voice mail and decided to check the Mahaicony Hospital around 9 pm. Her aunt, Patricia Surbadan said they were advised to check the mortuary for her body but were hoping that it would not be hers.
Beverly, wife of the late Gary McAlmont, with her son Gevon yesterday
At the home of Cynique Fraser, 23, her mother, Ann Webster was trying hard to cope with the death of her only child. She said her daughter who was a teacher at the No. 29 Primary started a course at the University of Guyana in October.
She said Fraser who started teaching at South Ruimveldt Primary, had stayed in Georgetown for the past three weeks and was returning home for the first time. She said she was eagerly looking out for her daughter when she received the devastating news.
She recalled that when her daughter just started classes she travelled every day and “I used to sit out in the dew every night until 10 o’clock for her to come home.”
Mary Blair’s daughter, Patricia told this newspaper that her mother left home around 8 am to visit her other children and grandchildren on the West Demerara.
She said she learnt about the accident and became worried after her mother had not returned early saying “this is not like her.” After learning about the accident, Patricia “started to inquire whether she was involved.”
She said other minibus drivers from the village left for the hospital and she asked them to check if her mother was there. She learnt that the woman was taking oxygen and was later being placed in an ambulance to be taken to the Georgetown Hospital. Shortly after she received a call that her mother was being taken out again and knew that she had died.
Injured
Meanwhile, seven adults and a 8-month-old baby who were injured during the accident are still patients at the Georgetown Public Hospital.
Doreen Dutchin, 42, of Mahaicony, ECD was still in a serious condition in the hospital’s Intensive Care Unit. The woman’s relatives said that as a result of the “heavy” head injuries sustained by Dutchin a CT scan was conducted on her. The results are not yet known.
“We are waiting right now for doctors to tell us what the results of the CT scan are,” a very anxious relative said yesterday afternoon. “You see she [Dutchin] is a diabetic case and troubles with high blood pressure so that only complicating things.”
Meanwhile, Dwayne Holder, 30, of No. 30 Village, WCB; Dhandar Drepaul, 23, of D’Edward Village, WCB; and Marvin Ramphal, 30, of Cotton Tree, WCB were up to last evening in stable condition in the Male Surgical Ward.
Cleiva Williams, 29 years, and her infant son Jonathan Bourne of WCB are also in stable condition. The child is a patient of the hospital’s paediatric ward. Vanetta Usher, 29, of Lichfield, WCB; Anille Arthur, 17, of Rosehall, Corentyne; and Williams are patients of the Female Surgical Ward.
Williams, her sister Giselle said, is in a lot of pain especially her left leg which was broken during the accident.
Arthur, whose left eye was swollen, told Stabroek News that she doesn’t remember much from the accident. The young woman said she was feeling a great deal of pain but stressed that she is “grateful for life”.
“I can’t remember anything from that accident really,” Arthur told Stabroek News yesterday from her hospital bed. “The last thing I remember in that bus was hearing screams and then the next thing I know I woke up in the hospital.”
Rescue
Following the accident, a massive rescue operation was set off in the area involving residents and passers-by as they scrambled to pull the injured to safety.
The driver of the truck is still in custody at the Mahaica Police Station. Based on reports the truck had no lights on at the time of the collision and the driver had stopped abruptly, resulting in the smash-up.
The passenger count in the minibus was thirteen and everyone suffered serious injuries with the exception of one man. Lakeram Samaroo escaped with a cut on his forehead. “I am lucky to be alive, but some people weren’t,” Samaroo told Stabroek News on Saturday night at the Mahaicony Hospital where the scene was chaotic as emotional relatives and villagers flocked the compound awaiting word about the injured. He recalled being seated in the back seat of the minibus along with three other persons, and according to him the bus was “full.” He felt the impact of the collision and remembered climbing out of the rear window to safety. Though covered in blood and hurting, Samaroo said, he rushed to save the others but to no avail as the minibus doors were jammed.
According to him, the efforts to free those trapped initially proved futile as no one could get the doors open. He said a glance inside the bus at the time revealed “painful things” as badly smashed bodies were visible from outside.
He said that they were forced to use a tractor to tear apart the minibus to get people out. Subsequently, he and the others were rushed to the Mahaicony Hospital.
Called out
Two doctors and a few nurses were on duty at the Mahaicony Hospital when the injured started showing up and within a half hour period the entire staff of around forty, including laboratory staff had reported for duty. Some of the staff told this newspaper they felt compelled to come out because those injured were not just patients, they were neighbours. But in addition to providing emergency services the staff was forced to control a swelling crowd which converged at the hospital fearing the worst.
Stabroek News arrived at the hospital to find scores of residents around the compound. Three persons were counted among the dead at that time; Munroe was still unidentified. Her relatives were among those gathered and despite viewing the bodies of those listed as dead they had difficulty recognizing her.
“We didn’t know it was her, we couldn’t know, it was so hard to tell,” a man who identified himself as her stepfather said before breaking down. He said that a young man who resides close to Munroe urged him to take a second look because he was “sure it was her” so the family went in a second time and came out crushed, after realizing that it was her. (Additional reporting by Sara Bharrat)
Where is the justice for these victims?
Instead of ushering in JOY of the pending yule time- the survivors are left to face the malodorous fragrance of the grim reaper.
Were these these victims not worthy of protection by their government- regardless of whether they voted for them?
Bismattie:::::
Tell me how the/ your Canadian Government could hav protected these victims.I will pass it on to your Canadian Prime Misister::::Quick tell me:::So as to stop madness and carnage on our roads::::
http://celebrifi.com/gossip/4-die-in-headon-Canadian-car-crash-1072297.html
Whats your Problem really?
well what the hell this woman is all about, you so out of ORDER.
Nepotism is wrong! We need a government that cares for ALL it’s citizens not just some.
Bis, it seems like you’ve lost your marbles.
Bismattie Ramsawak,there should be a time and place for everything including politics sweety.This is not the time.To know that you are the one that tried to correct me on a word of who or whom but never answered my question.Please do not allow yourself to be consumed by politics.Condolences to all those involved in this tragedy and a full and speedy recovery for those injured.
gal when you hit a vehicle from the back you are at fault.
speeeeeeed, speeeeeeed speeeeeeeeed.
govt cannot protect them.
Evil eyes you are correct about Bismattie what does the govt have to do with this accident.
BISMATTIE WHICH WORLD ARE YOU FROM?? HOW CAN A GOVT STOP AN ACCIDENT??? OR HOW WOULD A GOVT CAUSE AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE THEY DID NOT VOTE FOR HIM???? WHERE DO YOU LIVE? GROW UP AND STOP THIS TYPE OF DISGUSTING HATE AND CORRUPTION YOU HARBOR.
MY SINCERE CONDOLENCE TO THE FAMILY OF ALL THE DECEASED AND PRAYING THE INJURED HAVE A SPEEDY RECOVERY.
Roderick I know what you’re trying to accuse me of and inspite of it I will remain a proud Indian woman.
When an Indian person disagrees with the PPP party they are labeled as a traitorous. I see how Sharma is treated because he speaks out against the excesses and wrongs of the PPP administration. I like Sharma know we are on the side of the Angels.
I am guessging that the government doesn’f feel that way; the carnage has been going on for several years. That is one of the reason why I do not move around much whenever I visit Guyana.
My deepest sympathy to all families involve….. very sad indeed!!
freespeech! I do hope when you go home you can see some of the park trucks on the road in Guyana…..I will like SN to do an audit on the amount of people die due to these same trucks owned by Guyanese park all over the place.
This is tragic and Mr. Semple you need to go harder in the Trafic department by enforcing your patrol on the highways and byways.
Bis, as one Guyanese woman to another,I am with you, girl. Keep pressing on bravely.
Bismattie , I am in agreement with you on this matter in which the lost of life could have been avoided if the govt of Guyana had an effective traffic management plan in place and properly policed . This is not the 1st time that a speeding vehicle slamed into a truck parked without lights during the night . The govt must make laws for the good governance of the society , therefore , the inept PPP govt is at fault . Anarchy is taking over Guyana because the members of the govt are so lost that not even GOD can find them . Bismattie , don’t let them intimidate you because the govt is responsible for the safety of ALL – be the person a magistrate , Maria Van Beek , a govt minister , the residents of Buxton , the miners or the passengers of the mini-buses . The PPP sycophants have buried their heads in the mud because they cannot face the truth about Jagdeo and his band of ministers .
My deepest condolences to the family and friends of the departed , may they rest in peace . I hope that the injured passengers get well very soon . Bismattie , stand firm .
“The truth is a mighty sword” .
i hate to read about this, really make me sad. hope this guy get life in prison. don’t travel in mini bus they are safe at all it make out of zinc they only to carry 6 people but in guyana it carry about 15 peoples. further more they have more vehicle than road
bring more mini bus. do you need a driver license in guyana?
may there sole rest in peace.
Condolences to the families. The Commmissoner of Police should avoid giving speaking on too much details prior to any possible court case/ insurance claims, etc. The alledged drunkness of any of the drivers should be part of court testimony or depeositions. The Home Affairs Minister should really speak with police about how to give statemets to media.
The tragic accident underscores the need form all to support ongoing efforts by Guyana governmetn and appropiate instituions for better road safety especially in the mini bus culture…
I haven’ the time to read most of the posts below but I am sure there are ultimately futile attempts to “blame the govenment’and “the state we in Guyana”…
Sure Reddy, we support the government’s ongoing efforts to put more traffic patrolmen on the street and to crack down on speeding and help out with putting up caution flares or other signs when a vehicle is disabled on the road and in danger of another vehicle backending it. Yes we support all these “ongoing efforts”. Whew! Amazing!
HIP HIP Reddy back to his old self making a balanced contribution.My thoughts go out to these familys for the lost and emptiness they are feeling. I dont want to point fingers but raise a few points 1. Hazard perception 2.Due Care & attention. I think that most of us feel like we have taken our lives in our hands when we have got into minibus for one reason or another. Wether its been speeding or some other thing in truth guyanas minibus are nothing more than family utility vehicles and are not suitable for public transport.
With Christmas just around the corner this is gonna be hard for the families to take.
So if this accident had happen on January 2nd it would be less painful?
Well Ravi, you give us a demonstration!!!!
Ravi
go easy on de soldia yea eheheheheheheh.e just love blagging hey fuh blag sakes…lol…..
All taken in the prime of their lives, some in the full flower of their youth. It happens every day – doesn’t make it any less devastating. Mary Blair reminds me of my sweet Mother. May their loved ones find the strength to go on. Alcohol and speed: Lord they didn’t have a chance.
WHAT A DISASTER INDEED.ALL BECAUSE OF THE STUPIDITY OF DRIVERS IN GUYANA
I think that the owners of Vehicles has the Major Responsibility.
Not just buying a Vehicle and giving Lunatics to Drive.
Guyana needs proper Privateised Bus Service. Citizens cannot go on being killed like this in silly mini-busses which were not designed for large scale transport of the paying public.
When is the government going to act?
Profound sympathies are offered to the grieving relatives at this sad time.
China recently EXECUTED a rich businessman for causing the deaths of others while drunk and driving. The Guyana Human Rights Assocation GRAHA should shut up for once and ask for the maximum sentence if the allegedly drunk truck driver is found guilty.
don’t use this incident to take a cheap shot at the guyana human rights association. speeding and a drunken truck driver is responsible for this sad state of affair. my sympathies.
I do not take CHEAP SHOTS, brownie. I made it quite clear that your GRAHA should advocate the death penalty in this instance.
Nothing cheap ’bout that.
More advanced countries are doing as I advocate.
Satish I agree with you on the minibus issue you know the standards in the UK and these bus would be impounded set aside the strict rules allowing the carriage of the public. But satish & jb this is a ackward situation because a sober driver crashed into the back of a truck. And not a drunk driver that hit the bus at this point its hard to gather what role or action by the truck caused this sad accident.
Some good points from you, clearview and YES, I do agree that if it can be proved that the alleged drunk truck was just kipping in his cab, then most of the blame for the accident would accrue to the actions of the minibus.
Still, if it can be demonstrated that the truck driver was indeed drunk, then he should be banned from driving for a period of time.
I would have liked to hear your comments about the government giving incentives for reintroduction of PROPER BUSSES on Guyana’s roads.
Satish its my view that these buses should be taken off the road along with other classes of vehicles. I think it was 1990 I last saw a government run bus services after a trip to GT in a minibus I decided to use the big green bus but people tried to put me off using it because it was to slow. And the deadly minibus was the new wave coming from the 80s.
As for incentives its no brainer people need transport the goverment transport department should employ a survey company. station them at the bus park and count how many people are coming in from the different regions. Then do the figures and see how much they have to invest in a state company they could use 29 seater fleets of coach / bus which would work well on those roads. They could put the different regions out for tender or get them running then put them out for tender.
Remember these minibuses are run like a quick buck business, if i had pound for every guyanese who told me i gonna get 2 bus to run when i go home. I would be a rich guy this is the thing that saddens me every aspect guyanese life seems to run like a hussle. We seem to build the roof before we lay foundations only to find nothing fits.
create proper jobs and services the rest would follow.
Perfectly clear. Thanks for that.
The use of modified (seating) mini buses as mass transit vehicles must not be allowed to continue in Guyana. Forget the small islands, this is Guyana. By just taking into consideration the physical structure of the bus, no matter what safety provisions are implemented in them are not sufficient to stop the carnage on our roads. By law two persons are now required to wear seat belts. Two out of fifteen are poor odds ask anyone making at bet on Camp Street.If the bus suffers a head-on collision, the bus is so structured that both parties up front face immediate death.
Further it is not known if these provision actually help or expose the traveling populace to increased risk while using mini-buses. we have not done any research on impacts or the behaviour of these buses in accidents. I say travel at your own risk and ask why you never see a minister in a bus.
Guyanamyown,I do agree with you on these small islands where there are so many hils and turns excessive speeding is not possiable.Therefore those buses are workable,not in Guyana.
In Barbados where the population is far smaller than Guyana they have bigger and safer buses,the time has come for the implimentation of a proper bus company in guyana private or public.
A tragedy which could have been avoided. We wish to express our condolences to all the families affected. We are truly sorry for their loss.
this is truly sad day for guyaneses and more so to the greifing families..when will drivers stop speeding and stop drink and drive…i am not defending any one but as a driver myself according to what i read the bus driver is at fault..if was not speeding then he could avoid the big smashed up even if the driver had stop suddenly..he would have able to breaks or dashed and may be save some lives but clearly with the speed the impact that cause the damage..the bus driver to be blame the truck driver contribute to the accident…
I agree, the headline focus on a drunk driver, but regardless the bus hit from behind.
all they can charge him with is drunk DRIVING.
the bus should have kept his distance, speeeeeeeeeeeeedddd.
I agree James, drunk drivers should have harsh penalities.
Does Guyana have a speed limit?
But then again, the cops would take bribe and send the drivers away.
Another situation with no solution.
Wow, this story tugs at my heart. May the souls of all those departed, rest in peace.
Sad story indeed. My condolences to all famly members.
What a dilema! Some complain about speeding and reckless drivers and then lambaste the GPF for cracking down. Some even write letters to SN to denounce the GPF. Cannnot have it both ways