A man has been hospitalized with two gunshot wounds to his right hip after a family gathering ended badly on Sunday morning as persons refused to leave a Goed Fortuin, West Bank Deme-rara beer garden, which they had rented.
Kenneth Bhagwandin, called ‘Kenno’, 40, of 47 Church Street, Stanleytown, WBD, was shot around 1:30 am during a confrontation with the owner of the beer garden, referred to as ‘Saddam’, after the family became engaged in an argument and were subsequently forced out of the premises.
According to the injured man’s daughter, Raywattie, an argument ensued between her aunt and uncle who were hosting the BBQ and the owner, who was also a patron of the event, attempted to resolve the issue by speaking to the couple.
“My uncle start cuss up and Saddam chuck he away and suh and then he start push everybody out de building and he chuck me and then chuck me father and knock he in he back and blam in de gate,” the girl recalled.
Another relative, she said, known as Diaram, then attempted to open the gate and was told by the owner to refrain from doing so.
Her father, she said, then took another route and re-entered the yard and the owner subsequently fired shots at him, two of which missed him.
The man’s wife, Mahadai Ramnarine, told this newspaper that she was at home at the time of the incident and was alerted when her two daughters came home and yelled “Ow mommy, ow mommy, uncle Saddam shoot daddy”.
She stated that her husband had gone to assist her sister in weeding the front of the yard and also with preparations for the BBQ. “He come home and I quarrel on him because he going out and left me home alone with my sick parents so nobody can’t help nobody but he de determine he say is yuh sister and he going and help she,” she added, after noting that she was ill as well.
From the Georgetown Public Hospital, Bhagwandin said that he had only heard the shots but didn’t even realize he was hit. He was expected to undergo surgery yesterday to have the bullets removed. (Frances Abraham)
