President Bharrat Jagdeo yesterday met some of the relatives of the persons who were shot dead by the Berbice Anti-Smuggling Squad (BASS) and those who were injured and lost their lives when an ambulance ferrying wounded persons turned over last Friday.
Stabroek News
August 22, 2001
A statement from the Office of the President yesterday said that the state would provide assistance to the relatives of those in the ambulance accident.
Meanwhile, Mayor of Corriverton, Roy Baijnauth, has designated today and tomorrow days of mourning in the town. An advertisement from the mayor's office in today's edition reads: "It is with deep regret that I officially declare two days (Wednesday, August 22, 2001 and Thursday, August 23, 2001) of mourning in Corriverton because of the loss of innocent lives under tragic circumstances. Citizens are asked to observe the days."
Yesterday, the President held separate meetings at the Office of the President with families whose relatives' lives were lost in the accident and those who were shot by BASS.
Those who died at the hands of BASS last Friday were 18-year-old Saif Ghani and 48-year-old Steven Angel.
Stabroek News understands that no relative of Ghani attended the meeting. A distant relative represented Angel's family.
Family members of Janet Best, who lost her life in the ambulance accident last Friday attended the meeting. But no relatives of the other victims, Mahendranauth Samsundar--the driver of the ambulance--and nurse Valerie Howard-Alves were present. Best's family also represented her sister, Elizabeth Pitman, who was injured in the accident and subsequently lost an eye.
There were also family members of Davindranath Bhola, who was shot by members of BASS, and who, according to his relatives, sustained five bullet wounds. Whether there were relatives present for the others who were injured, Ramnauth Mahase and Khemraj Basdeo, this newspaper was unable to confirm.
The relatives of Azad Bacchus, his 15-year-old son Shazaah and his 18-year-old nephew Fadil Ally who were shot and killed last week by members of BASS in a confrontation did not attend the meeting. It was because of those deaths that protest action was taken by residents of the Upper Corentyne area who claimed that BASS killed the three in cold blood. During the protest that followed the two men were killed on Friday and several others injured and it was while those injured persons were being transported to the New Amsterdam Hospital that the accident occurred.
The Office of the President statement said that the President expressed his sympathy with the relatives and stated his deep concern about the loss of lives and injuries suffered.
According to the statement, the Head of State assured the relatives of those who died in the BASS incidents that a thorough investigation would be conducted. He informed relatives that the probes had already commenced and urged their cooperation. Further, the President will be holding follow-up meetings with the relatives and he indicated that he would visit the communities involved after the investigations were concluded.
Relatives of Best yesterday told this newspaper that the President said the state would stand her funeral expenses. They raised concerns about the future of her ten-year-old daughter and according to them, the President said the child would receive some assistance from the state. The family members will meet the President again next week Wednesday.
The other relatives said that they were satisfied with the President's assurance that a thorough investigation would be conducted into the shooting incidents.
Calm has continued to prevail in the Upper Corentyne area since Friday.