Burma Road canal tragedy … Govt. to foot all funeral expenses
February 23, 2015 | By KNews | Filed Under News, Source - Kaieteur News
The Government of Guyana will be covering the funeral expenses of the victims of the Burma Road canal tragedy which claimed the lives of six children and their teacher on Friday afternoon as they were returning home from children’s pre mashramani celebrations.
The victims were identified as 41-year old Shaundell Duke of Lot 9 Burma Housing Scheme, Mahaicony; Martina Persaud, seven, of 70 Burma Housing Scheme; Justin Abel, nine, Asiyah Abel, 10, and Raydon Abel, seven, all of Lot 8 Burma Road; Adeshe Woolford, nine and Azikia Fraser.
Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand, yesterday reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to stand by the families in their grief and to continue to support them in any way possible.
“We’re committed to standing with these families. We are a part of this family and we will support them in any way we can, including offering counseling to them,” she told Kaieteur News.
The car in which the victims lost their lives
The Minister, along with President Donald Ramotar had visited Burma on Saturday to offer their condolences to the grief stricken parents. This was a follow up to the visit the Minister paid to the families at the Mahaicony Hospital, hours after the tragedy occurred.
On Friday at around 15:30hrs, the teacher and the six students, all from Husburg Primary, were returning home from the children’s pre Mashramani celebrations when the car veered off the Burma Road and overturned into the canal. They were retrieved from the vehicles and taken to the Mahaicony Hospital Mortuary.
Post mortem examinations are scheduled to be done on Tuesday.
