Bonasika tragedy – bereaved man relocating to West Coast Demerara

Tulsieram Sookdeo aka ‘Naresh’ of Bonasika, Essequibo River
Tulsieram Sookdeo aka ‘Naresh’ of Bonasika, Essequibo River

While Tulsieram Sookdeo also known as ‘Naresh’ of Bonasika, Essequibo River is still coming to grips with losing his wife and a child after his house at Bonsika Creek collapsed Thursday last, he has made efforts to move  his two remaining children.

They will be staying at their grandparent’s home at Windsor Forest, West Coast Demerara.

Sookdeo lost his wife and a daughter tragically on Wednesday at Bonasika Creek when their house collapsed as they were feeding their puppies. Dead are 35-year-old Seematie Chandra and her 6-year-old daughter Christine Sookdeo. The mother and daughter were under their house feeding puppies when the house collapsed around 4 pm.

Seematie Chandra and her six-year-old Christine Sookdeo

Speaking with Stabroek News, the husband said that he and his son were burning bushes when he received the message. He related that he was dumbfounded and could not move at the time. Further, his wife and daughter were pinned down and he had to take a chainsaw to get their bodies out.

Sookdeo disclosed that he is still traumatized and intends to move from that location and relocate to the West Coast of Demerara. The father of three said that he will be returning home to clean up his house then he will be coming out to the West Coast to live. The children ages eight and nine, will be staying with their grandparents. Neither of the children is attending school at the moment.

“I can’t stay there. I will bring my children out and I will seek to support them if meh get a job, I would like them to get a better education, I can do a lot of things. I am a jack of all trade,” the father related.

The children were never registered for school and as such the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security along with the Child Care Protection Agency will be working to get the children in school. The ministry is also working with the father to ensure that support is given during the funeral.

The funeral service for the mother and daughter is scheduled for Saturday.