Two months after being beaten during a robbery, Dutch Bottle Café owner Renata Chuck-a-Sang said she is not physically able to manage the business, which has not been reopened since her discharge from the hospital almost two months ago.
On October 7, a brave Chuck-a-Sang defended her Lot 10 North Road, Bourda business when she plunged towards one of three bandits, who had invaded the restaurant, pinning him to the ground.
Her actions led to the arrest of the individual, who later succumbed while under police arrest. He was identified as Kelvin Poonsammy, 22, of Lot 12 Joseph Polly-dore Street, Lodge.
Poonsammy had two accomplices who managed to escape with a laptop which had two hard drives and a cellular phone. While he was restrained by Chuck-a-Sang, Poonsammy, with his gun, had severely beaten the woman to the head.
She suffered two facial fractures and was required to have a series of stitches, approximately 50, she told Stabroek News. She was discharged from hospital on October 20.
“I don’t have the same physical strength as before this incident,” she said.
She explained that she is still offering clients private catering but the restaurant service is currently on hold. She, however, revealed that she is giving some consideration to reopening next year.
Although she said security is not the reason for her closing, Chuck-a-Sang pointed out that it remains a concern of many business owners, and it is a risk that they must face. She noted that it is a growing expense and businesses are now required to hire security guards or purchase video cameras with the increasing crime rate.
“It’s Guyana we are living in. If you consider security then there won’t be any businesses,” she stated.
The police, Chuck-a-Sang said, have not made any progress in the robbery investigation. “The only reason they got that guy was because I held onto him. They haven’t been able to find not a hair on the other two,” she added.
