An elderly man was on Thursday killed after he was attacked by a swarm of bees at the Cotton Tree Burial Site and his family is blaming the Neighbour-hood Democratic Council (NDC), to which they say several complaints of the bees were made over the past three weeks.
Dead is Hazim Bacchus, 62, of Lot 3 B Cotton Tree Village, West Coast Berbice.
The father of three was said to be digging a grave when he was attacked by the bees around 13:30 hrs. He was stung mainly to the face.
His son-in-law, Rakesh Ragbeer, told this newspaper the man had finished digging the grave and left but returned shortly after when he came under attack.
About five to six other men were present at the time but were helpless as there was no water nearby.
He explained that a farmer subsequently came with a bottle of gasoline which he threw on Bacchus who was at the time covered by the bees from his shoulder up, bringing him a little relief.
The men rushed Bacchus to the Fort Wellington Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries around 2:45pm. Ragbeer added that his father-in-law was unable to speak after the attack.
He affirmed that he is seeking clarity in this situation since it is mindboggling that after numerous complaints of the bees’ presence to the Chairman of the NDC, Shameer Ali, no precautions were taken.
He explained that residents pay a sum of $500 for a burial spot at the site and although it is not a large fee, it was fixed by the NDC and is expected to be used for the ground’s maintenance.
This, he said, should have included measures taken to rid the area of the bees which have now led to Bacchus’s death.
“The leadership of the government needs to know what is going on because the people downstairs are not doing their work,” Ragbeer said.
