Story by Lakeram Bhagirat and photos by Brenon Sookram
The death of a Norton Street, Lodge man, who was hit near his home by a bus that was reportedly swerving from a pothole, yesterday triggered a protest by residents who blocked the road and set garbage on fire to press authorities for repairs.
Orin Sobers, 49, of Lot 24 Norton Street, Lodge, and his wife, Kay Pompey, 44, were both on a cycle when they were hit by the bus around 1:30am Sunday morning. Sobers died in hospital on Sunday afternoon.
Pompey told Stabroek News that they were on their way back home after attending an ‘oldies’ party at the Public Service Union.
“We were on the bike talking about what we gon cook the next day and he said cook chowmein and before I could say we gon put mince in it, I don’t know what happen,” the grieving woman related.
She added that she regained consciousness a few minutes later and saw four women over her. Her gold earrings and cash were missing, but she was not worried about those as she was greeted by the sight of her husband with his head twisted and his daughter going to his rescue.
“I wake up and four lady rubbing up me and then I turn and see he head twist and then I see he daughter in a yellow dress running to he,” she added.
Pompey received injuries to her left shoulder, head and face and was subsequently treated for the injuries and released from the hospital.
According to Sobers’ daughter, Satasha Sobers, they received a call from the doctors, at the Georgetown Public Hospital around 2:30pm on Sunday, informing them of their father’s death. A post-mortem examination performed on the man’s remains revealed that he had succumbed to his injuries, which
included a fractured skull and a broken rib, neck and shoulder.
Sobers added that the family was told that an orange-coloured bus hit her father and the vehicle was impounded at the Brickdam Police Station.
Pompey said that there have been numerous
accidents in the area and lives have been lost because of the potholes that the authorities are doing nothing about.
“I want justice… They caused him to die… I want the driver to get hold up,” cried Pompey.
Sobers will be buried on Friday and leaves to mourn his wife and three children.
Neglect
Meanwhile, when Stabroek News visited the area there was a build-up of activity as residents in the wake of the accident lined tyres and old stoves and other unwanted materials across the road and started to burn them, blocking off the flow of traffic in the area.
“All who got rubbish bring y’all rubbish, we got dumpsite here,” one of the residents called out as she ran and threw a wooden pallet into the blazing fire.
Another resident, Clifton Stuart, said that the accident was caused due to the neglect of the road by the Ministry of Public Works and they wanted to know what would be done about it. Residents said they would not stop the burning until the road is repaired.
The police soon arrived on the scene and summoned the fire service, which quickly put out the blaze. After the fire was extinguished, Ministry of Public Works workmen arrived and started road repairs.
Meanwhile, residents also complained that the area was becoming a health hazard, since there is ongoing construction at Lot 17 Norton Street and sand has been dumped into the drain, blocking the free flow of water that has now become stagnant, smelly and mosquito-infested.
Residents demanded that the sand be removed from the drain so that the water can start flowing.
Owner of the land, Gary, (only name given) said that he had initially planned to have the entire drain in the street cleared to have the water flowing again, since parts of it are blocked. As a result of the complaints by residents yesterday, he said he would just clear the part in front of his property.
