Deaths at Marriott: Autopsies inconclusive, samples to be sent overseas for testing

April 25 ,2022

Source

          Dead: Ritchie Hansraj (left) and Justin Teixeira

Further tests would be needed to determine the cause of death of the two friends– 25-year-old Paishnarine ‘Ritchie’ Hansraj and 34-year-old Justin Teixeira- after the post mortem examinations were inconclusive.

The autopsies were conducted on Monday by government pathologist Dr. Nehaul Singh, two days after the friends were discovered dead inside Teixeira’s car at the Marriott Hotel in Kingston, Georgetown.

Police Headquarters in a statement revealed that stomach contents were removed from both bodies and will be sent overseas for testing.

The bodies were handed over to the relatives for burial.

Meanwhile, the “white hard substance” found in the back seat of the car, which was initially suspected to be narcotics, may now be sodium cyanide – a poisonous compound.

Samples will also be sent overseas to be tested after the substance tested negative for narcotics.

Police had reported that investigators were told by a 28-year-old employee of the Marriot Hotel that he received a telephone call from Teixeira’s 60-year-old mother at around 23:30hrs that her son was having a seizure. The mother asked if someone can check on him.

The hotel employee said he immediately dispatched another employee to check on Teixeira who was a guest at the hotel when it was discovered that the room he was staying in on the sixth floor was empty.

The employee then went to Teixeira’s car where he found the two friends motionless and immediately called 911; both men were pronounced dead at the scene.

Teixeira lived at Republic Park, East Bank Demerara. Hansraj is known for his singing and was slated to get engaged next month. He resided at Hague, West Coast Demerara, and was the only son of his parents.

Why does Guyana lack the capacity to do this simple test?  What are they teaching for Chemistry at the High Schools or at the University of Guyana?

Unfortunately, these uncomfortable issues occurs in all countries.

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Murder Rate by Country 2022

Source & rest of article -- https://worldpopulationreview....rder-rate-by-country

Top 10 Countries with the Highest Murder Rates (per 100k people) in 2017:*

1. El Salvador (61.7)
2. Honduras (41.0)
3. Venezuela (49.9)
4. United States Virgin Islands (49.3 [2012 data])
5. Jamaica (56.4)
6. Lesotho (43.6 [[2016 data]] per 100k people)
7. Belize (37.8)
8. Saint Vincent And The Grenadines (36.5 [2016 data])
9. Saint Kitts And Nevis (36.1 [2012 data])
10. South Africa (35.7)

Top 10 Countries with the Lowest Murder Rates (per 100k people) in 2017:

1. Japan (0.2)
2. Singapore (0.2)
3. Hong Kong (China) (0.3)
4. Luxembourg (0.3)
5. Indonesia (0.4)
6. Norway (0.5)
7. Oman (0.5)
8. Switzerland (0.5)
9. United Arab Emirates (0.5)
10. China (0.6)

Here are the 10 countries with the highest homicide rates:

1. El Salvador (52.02 per 100k people)
2. Jamaica (43.85 per 100k people)
3. Lesotho (43.56 per 100k people)
4. Honduras (38.93 per 100k people)
5. Belize (37.79 per 100k people)
6. Venezuela (36.69 per 100k people)
7. Saint Vincent And the Grenadines (36.54 per 100k people)
8. South Africa (36.40 per 100k people)
9. Saint Kitts And Nevis (36.09 per 100k people)
10. Nigeria (34.52 per 100k people)

@Mitwah posted:

Why does Guyana lack the capacity to do this simple test?  What are they teaching for Chemistry at the High Schools or at the University of Guyana?

It may not be as simple as studying Chem ..

maybe..MAYBE..a few possible reasons.

1stly..demand for such tests:— reagents r very expensive and they carry expiry dates (2 shelf lives..unopened n then whn opened.) so it means wastage fo expensive reagents

2ndly..depends on if reagents come in tests kits (like Covid 19 kits) ..once a kit is opened , it cannot be restored.  With covid-19, the lab kits catered for 100 tests.  at the beginning of covid-19 testing, labs were waiting to test in batches of 100 so as not to waste reagents..remember results  were taking a long time ?)   Also at the beginning of PCR testing..only public helath labs were doing testing..reason?? They were the only labs that were equipped..later other labs bought the m achines for testing.

so …back to demands..why would any lab invest in costly machines n reagent kits for occasional testings..

ps..i dont know why nor am i speaking as a expert..but having worked in medical labs in GY n C/bean n Canada, we have sent away specimens for specila tests for the above reasons. It boils down to business ‘sense’ …even here in Ontario, we send certain tests to the Public Health lab even though we r 1 of the biggest labs here…n yes these tests results can take a week.  We even send some tests to USA ….

my 2 cents..

@Mitwah posted:

Why does Guyana lack the capacity to do this simple test?  What are they teaching for Chemistry at the High Schools or at the University of Guyana?

Contd

It may not be abt having or lacking the capacity to carry out such testing…but for economic reasons..

1..investing in equipment to do testing n most of all, buying n storing the reagents.  

Reagents r ordered in batches /bulk n each batch have the same expiry date….

Why is it not part of the curriculum at UG if not High School. Here it is taught at high schools and colleges.

Why does the smaller countries have the Capacity?

@Mitwah posted:

Why is it not part of the curriculum at UG if not High School. Here it is taught at high schools and colleges.

Why does the smaller countries have the Capacity?

As i said it MAY not be abt  the capacity..

yes..like our lab is capable..have trained staff..but lab economics..they do not invest in certain testing because of the demand..

so yes..Gy may have the technical expertise to do it..but the labs need to have equipment to perform tests..

so to invest in machines if the demand isnt high is a waste of $$..also reagents exprie quickly n these eagents cost an arm and a leg..u cant afford to have reagents expire on u .

i really dont know wht’s happening in GY..

but im simply sharing from a laboratory perspective..

I work  in 1 of the top labs here..n we SEND OUT specimens for certain tests to different labs here in Canada n also to USA!! For the above   mentioned reasons ! Even in our own org..not allof our labs perform all of the lab tests..so we have many samples coming in from smaller labs to our main labs for testing..so it isnt abt having trAINED/ qualified staff..INSTEAD ITIS ABT WHAT THE LABS R EQUIPPED WITH..

these days our machines do almost all of our ‘thinking’ so Chemistry is not used to do lab tests now..everything is in technology.  We r trained to use machines n to trouble shoot.  Our knowledge/education is valid only to interpret results

@Lynn, how do you test for Sodium Cyanide?

Thanks Django. Have a friend here who is a Professional Chemical Engineer. He owns a Lab here and do testing for food companies and the Government especially water testing. He tried to establish a Lab in Guyana but gave up because of the "skullduggery" and the typical run around to get permission.

Guyana needs to teach Chemistry in all of the high schools to enhance its capacity.

@Mitwah posted:

@Lynn, how do you test for Sodium Cyanide?

Sodium Cyanide is used extensively for the extraction of gold and diamond. This gets into the waters of the rivers. Some of it is held in the ponds created by the extractors. What sort of tests are being done by the GOG to protect especially the natives who depend on the water ways for their survival?

Food out of the interior should be tested for its presence.