Patient injured in Canje hospital carnage dies

Harry Ramanand, one of five patients of the National Psychiatric Hospital (NPH) attacked by a fellow inmate on Saturday, died at the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPHC) yesterday.

On Saturday night, a patient flew into a rage at the Fort Canje psychiatric hospital after he was not allowed to “go home” when he requested. He injured fellow patients, Harry Ramanand, 67, of Cumberland, Canje; Errol Leow, 37, of Rose Hall, Corentyne; Gregory Madassa, 40, of Georgetown; Roopnarine Laljit, 28, of Tain, Corentyne and Rickford Charles, of an interior location.

Reports are that the 29-year-old patient of Fyrish, Corentyne had broken out of the institution on Thursday and was taken back by his relatives about an hour before the incident occurred because they found it difficult to control his aggressive behaviour. But he did not like that one bit. Sources said that after the man’s relatives left, he kept telling the nurse that he wanted to go but the nurse responded that he could not because he was “sick and it was best for him to stay and take his treatment.”

Around 11.30 pm Saturday, the angry patient headed to the dining hall and kicked the door, breaking it. He then ripped out a piece of wood that had a few nails exposed and ran to a patient who was sleeping and started battering him.
He later severely beat the other four.

The five injured patients were rushed to the New Amsterdam Hospital that day and Ramanand and Leow were transferred to GPHC. After spending several days fighting for his life Ramanand succumbed some time yesterday.