Source: Kaieteur News.
The body of a 15-year-old was fished out of the Tain Canal, [near Tain Koaka] last evening, at approximately 19:00 hrs. Dead is Ronaldo Sankar of Williamsburg, Corentyne, Berbice. The adopted sister of the dead teen, Amanda Dial, said that the lad ventured to the Canal located at Tain Village after school hours with some of his friends to swim. Around 16:00 the boys with whom he was in company went to his home and told the teen’s mother, Natasha Sankar, that they could not find Ronaldo. She stated that after hearing what had happened they decided to launch a search party and contact the police. After arriving at the area where Ronaldo was reported to have drowned, residents began a search for the teen’s body in the canal. But the depth of the canal and the current proved to be a major difficulty. A friend of the deceased teen told this publication that a fishing net was used to capture the body. The net was thrown into the canal and after a few minutes the body was fished up. The lad was rushed to the Port Mourant Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival. He was a student of the J.C.Chandisingh Secondary School and was expected to sit the upcoming CSEC examinations in 2017. He leaves to mourn his two brothers, adopted sister, parents, other relatives and friends.
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COMPASSION IN POVERTY [Partial extract from a Guyana foundation report]
While waiting to attend a meeting for a Canadian group interested in sponsoring a student in Guyana, we met two boys, about ten years old, Ronaldo Sankar and Calvin his friend, who had a pet chicken, with a string tied to its leg.
[Renaldo Sankar and Calvin with pet chicken. The photo shows Ronaldo standing near Calvin with his pet chicken.]
During our discussion we asked, if we had a gift for someone who is very poor, who should receive the gift. Without hesitation, both boys said, the gift should be given to their school friend Zook. Zook they said is very poor and often don't have lunch for school. He is also from a single parent family with five siblings.
This transpired in an area of severe poverty, where some people might say they should receive the gift.
Zook's home was made of discarded material in an old cemetery, the only land his mother could afford. Our foundation stayed in contact with the boys and we were so proud when Ronaldo decided to attend Chandisingh high school.
We were moved by Renaldo and Calvin’s compassion for their friend, which is also our foundation’s purpose for being in Guyana – to instill a sense of consideration , compassion and respect for others.
We made contact with the boy’s school headmistress and arranged to meet Zook and their parents.
They were all given backpacks with school supplies that was donated by Telus Corporation in Vancouver BC and their classmates were given additional supplies with a message to be considerate and respectful of others.
Today with great sadness, my friend Ronaldo is no more.
The pain of losing Ronaldo is similar to losing Nado [from Black Bush Polder] in childbirth at Fort Wellington hospital. Tola.
