LOSS OF A BREADWINNER
Kaieteur News
February 25, 2007
In losing her son, Rebecca Duncan lost the main breadwinner of the home and a loving caring son.
Twenty-six-year-old Cecil Duncan was shot as he was heading home via the East Bank Demerara public road in his mother's car, while the shooting was in progress.
According to reports, residents had warned the youth not to venture further but he ignored their advice and was hit in the lower abdomen by a stray bullet.
He lay groaning on the roadway for several minutes before persons took him to the Georgetown Public Hospital where he succumbed next day.
Mrs. Duncan says she refuses to believe that the police could be so inept as to not have made any arrests, even though murders that have involved less people and occurred after have been solved.
“About 15-20 gunmen invaded that village on that night and it's impossible that the police would not be able to recognise at least one of them”
Although Cecil was the last of six children, he was the most financially stable and as such provided tangible help to them, especially his mother.
“He was generous to his entire family. He had stopped me from working and took care of me … he was a very good child, a mother could not ask for a better son.”
His two internet café are now being operated by his mother and although the family is struggling to move forward, they relate that the process is slow and painful.
A believer in God, Rebecca said although she was angry at first, she has forgiven her son's murderers, but would like to get a chance to see who they are.
That anger has now been replaced by a desire for closure, which she feels she could never have until the perpetrators are brought to justice.
“I would like to look them in the eye, I want to see the persons who took my son away from me,” she said with tears in her eyes.
A VILLAGE ON THE MOVE
Although the horrible events of the night of February 26, 2006, remain as clear as day in the minds of Agricola residents, they relate that the village now enjoys a new sense of calm and peace.
They attribute this to the numerous arrests which have been made over the last year which has cleaned many of the notorious elements out.
“Them bad boys that was in the village actually had it under siege for a while but the police flush them out. Who they didn't arrest, they kill, and now the village gone back to peace an quiet… that was a terrible time for we but I believe that period in the village is over,” one resident said .
Another, an elderly woman posited that for the first time in years, she feels safe to walk the road at nights.
“I had stopped going to church or anywhere at night, I was afraid. Now I feel more relaxed and at ease.”
Describing it as the worse night ever in the history of Agricola, residents related that immediately after many persons relocated.
This was even the case with the tenants behind the house where Lavern Garraway-Scott was killed.
Residents relate those that were living there removed immediately following the tragedy and since then a number of others have come and gone.
Commenting on the movement in the village one candid resident said, “Some people move out, others move in and then when dey realise is whey dey living they move out with speed!”
Generally, the residents of Agricola are confident that the crime which kept the village under siege, resulting in dark, frightening days and nights are over and the village is on the move towards more positive times.