By Zoisa Fraser
Two persons died yesterday morning and six were injured when a Route 72 minibus headed to Georgetown collided with a Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) Land Cruiser, on the Mahdia trail a short distance from the bridge crossing.
Dead are the driver of the bus, 29-year-old Kwakwani resident, Roylyn Henry called `Guffy’ and Ministry of Works mechanic 56-year-old Everad Providence. Provi-dence who lived at Lot 240 Caneview Avenue, South Ruimveldt sustained severe neck injuries.
Samuel Munroe, the driver of the GGMC vehicle, sustained an injury to the left hand, while Wendy Williams, a Barima Avenue, Bel Air resident, had injuries to her leg and face. Brazilian Daniel Lopez sustained injuries to his right foot and hand; Andrew Duke, a Mahaicony miner, is nursing wounds to the right foot and waist; Donald Thomas of Lethem, injured his right foot and Delon Gomes, an overseas-based Guyanese sustained injuries to his face and foot.
Yesterday afternoon, they were all air-dashed to the city and admitted to the Georgetown Public Hospital, where they are said to be in a stable condition.
The police said in a release that they are investigating the fatal accident which occurred around 8:15 yesterday morning at the 1 ½ miles Tumatumari Junction, Potaro resulting in the deaths of Henry and Providence.
According to the release, investigations so far revealed that Henry was driving minibus BKK 5912 in the opposite direction to motor Land Cruiser GJJ 7720 driven by Munroe, when the vehicles collided at a turn along the Tumatumari Road.
Stabroek News was told that Henry had booked in at the Mahdia Police Station with ten passengers some time before nine. He was proceeding to the bridge crossing bound for Georgetown when he crashed head on into the Land Cruiser.
Henry who was in and out of consciousness succumbed shortly after the crash. He reportedly sustained head injuries. Providence died at the Mahdia airstrip as he was waiting to board the aircraft bound for the city.
Pandemonium reigned at the Georgetown Hospital as relatives of the injured waited impatiently. Their wait had been extended due to inclement weather in Mahdia, Stabroek News was told.
As the ambulances arrived just before 4 pm many flocked around to get a glimpse and some burst into tears as they saw their relatives’ broken limbs, bruises and scrapes.
Two ambulances were tasked with transporting the injured from Ogle airstrip and three trips had to be made, an issue that upset many.
Relatives could be heard voicing their concerns over their loved ones being left at the airstrip while the ambulances travelled to the city and back there again.
The bodies of the dead were also brought to the city and taken to the Lyken’s Funeral home.
Speaking to this newspaper, the driver of the GGMC vehicle said Henry had been rushing to catch the bridge crossing and as he rounded a turn, he ended up in the wrong lane and crashed head-on into him.
“He rushing… and didn’t hold he lane. He been in my lane and crash into me,” the man said shaking his head.
The passengers from the bus that this newspaper spoke said that they could not recall what transpired in the moments leading up to the crash.
Donald Thomas, wincing in pain said he was asleep but when he woke up he could not move his left foot.
He said the front of the bus was badly damaged.
Meanwhile, at the Route 72 bus park, a black flag was already flying and several bus drivers and friends of Henry were wearing black ribbons. Cecil Thomas, one of the mourners, told this newspaper that Henry was a “nice person” who had never been involved in an accident before. He said the man had been plying the Mahdia route for years now without any trouble.
“Guffy was a safe person to travel with, man,” the man said, a statement which many gathered agreed with.
The man’s girlfriend, Dawn Nicholas, was devastated when Stabroek News saw her yesterday morning. Between sobs, she said that she was at work when someone rang her and delivered the tragic news.
Donette Price, one of Henry’s close friends, said she too received a call that there had been an accident and that Henry was in and out of consciousness. She later received another call informing her that he was dead.
Henry also leaves behind a four-year-old son.
Over at Providence’s South Ruimveldt home, his uncle Eustace Matthews and a close friend were in shock.
Matthews said he had been tending to his plants in the yard and around 12.30 pm he decided to go upstairs and start cooking a meal for his nephew as he was expected home a bit later.
However, before he got about doing that, he received a call in forming him that Providence had been involved in an accident and was being air dashed to the city.
When he arrived at the hospital and the injured arrived, Providence was not among them.
Worried, Matthews and friends began enquiring from medical personnel about him and they were told that he died at the Mahdia airstrip.
A visit to Lyken’s Funeral home shortly after confirmed their worst fears.
Matthews said that his nephew had been working at the Ministry of Works for years now and described him as a person who did not speak much.
He said he had been in Mahdia three weeks ago and would usually travel there whenever his workplace required him to.
Matthews told Stabroek News that Providence left for Mahdia on Saturday and had been scheduled to return home today.
He leaves behind a son and a daughter.
