Family and close friends of Derick Barry, a 31-year-old kitchen assistant of Maggie’s Catering are seeking answers from the Guyana Police Force [GPF] following the discovery of his lifeless body at Splashmins Fun Park on Tuesday.
Barry’s family and friends have explained to the Stabroek News that they are yet to be updated on the investigation into the matter.
The body was recovered at Splashmins on April 2 after a report was made by employees of Maggie to the police about Barry’s disappearance.
On the morning of March 31st, Barry left his apartment on Lot 17 First Street, Alberttown, Georgetown, on a bus heading to Splashmins Fun Park with friends to attend the Bacchanal Show on the Linden/Soesdyke Highway. Sometime during the course of the day, one source said, “… Barry was mingling with an ex-girlfriend of his and the fellow came and pulled her out of the water, and an argument ensued between Barry and the said person who was identified as a police…”
The source further explained to Stabroek News that around 23:00 hrs, the driver of the bus and Barry’s friends went in search of Barry. This search was fruitless.
The source said that on April 1st he went in search of Barry at Maggie’s as he had a task assigned for him. However, he was informed by the staff that Barry had not showed up for work. The source said he proceeded to Barry’s apartment building on First Street only to discover that he had not returned from Splashmins.
It was at this point that Maggie’s employees began to enquire from Barry’s companions he was with at the creek about his whereabouts. They were informed that Barry could not be found and so they left the creek without him. The source explained that a wider search commenced for Barry. The source said that around 16:30-5 pm two of Maggie’s employees made a missing person’s report at the Alberttown Police station. They were advised by the police that 48 hours must elapse after which a report can be made. However, the police informed that an initial inquiry would commence with the questioning of the persons who accompanied Barry to Splashmins.
The source told Stabroek News that on Tuesday (April 2) an employee, who is a close friend, informed that the police had discovered a body at the Fun Park. The employee contacted the police and was advised to travel to the Timehri Station to identify the body. After waiting for almost four hours, the police showed up but initially refused to engage with the employee. After a long deliberation, the police eventually shared photographs and the image captured looked like Barry. The family and close friend of Barry said that after the police shared the photographs, they heard nothing else.
Friends and family of Barry are contending that what they have been told is not in accord with Barry’s character. For one, they say that Barry could not swim and even when he attended the show last year with Maggie’s staff, he did not venture into the deep water.
Barry’s mother, Tracy Peters told Stabroek News that she can’t say exactly what happened but heard about her son’s disappearance from her cousin who had called her on April 2 to inquire if she had heard from him.
“I was preparing to work, I told him when he asked, what I was doing. So, he said, ok alright. Good. He told me that the workplace said that them is not seeing Barry, nobody isn’t seeing Barry since he went to the creek. I was shocked. So, I left and went to work. At work, I wasn’t feeling comfortable in my spirit and around 3:30 pm the same day, my cousin called back and told me that the police have found his body. When I heard the news, I didn’t know anything else, until I reach home”, she said.
The source added, “The family will keep going to try to get answers from the police station as to what the progress is with regards to the whole investigation. Is there a case where they (family) should hold off on a funeral or should a funeral should be done right away? Do you [the family] need to do additional post mortem? The family is kinda on a holding pattern unless the police tell us somethings.”
“They [Barry’s companions] didn’t say anything to anybody else until we start inquiring, so we don’t know if they were threatened and they are covering it up because when they all came in town, the next day they went about their business as if nothing didn’t happened. They didn’t report at work if he’s here nothing. We are asking for some sort of light could be shed from the Crime Chief, Commissioner and the Minister of Public Security to investigate this matter”, the source said.
Barry, a resident of Linden, was described as a humble and jovial person who had plans for his future. He had been employed with Maggie’s for four years. He was also a member of the Guyana Defence Force.
