The 10-year-old girl who was killed along with former police commissioner, Henry Greene will be laid to rest today, while relatives of Greene remain tightlipped on his funeral arrangements.
Greene and Shaffiya Jamaluddin, died on Friday morning last after the vehicles they were in collided head-on on the West Demerara highway at Waller’s Delight.
The former commissioner died as a result of a fractured spine, the Police Public Relations Department disclosed, while a senior officer said that this was in combination with severe internal haemorrhaging.
Jamaluddin was said to have died of multiple injuries. These were the findings of Government Pathologist Dr Nehaul Singh, who conducted both post-mortem examinations on Monday.
When contacted yesterday, the child’s aunt, Nazmoon, said that she will be buried today at the Reliance Cemetery under Muslim rights.
This newspaper visited Greene’s Lamaha Springs home more than once and was told each time that his wife and other family members would be unable to speak. Yesterday when contacted once more, a female said the funeral should not be the business of Stabroek News.
Acting Police Commissioner, Leroy Brumell, had said on Monday that the funeral was tentatively set for Saturday. Efforts made to contact him yesterday for confirmation of this information proved futile.
The Home Affairs Ministry yesterday issued a statement expressing surprise at Greene’s passing and further hailing him as an amiable person who displayed a high level of cordiality whenever he interacted with the administration and staff of the ministry.
“As Commissioner of Police Mr Greene’s overall positive impact on the Guyana Police Force will always be remembered. He placed heavy emphasis on outreach programmes such as the Scouts Groups and Youth Clubs since he saw these programmes as providing beneficial alternatives for youths from a life of crime,” the release said.
In addition to this, it was noted that the former commissioner had been very supportive of the Community Policing Programmes which created a partnership between the police and citizens, further developing public trust and confidence in the force.
He was also recognized for his role in the transformation of the Guyana Police Force under the Citizen Security Programme. “Because he had a clear, conceptual and practical understanding of the fundamental tenets of modern policing, he was able to offer valuable inputs thus accelerating the forward thrust of the reform,” the Home Affairs Ministry said.
The release also spoke of his involvement in the development of the Integrated Crime Information System where his adeptness of policing procedures was instrumental in guiding the developers of the system in their work and also his membership of the High Level Policy Committee of the Crime and Social Observatory.
“His love for and commitment to the force were evident in the way he defended and fought for the necessary resources to enhance its work… The ministry hails Mr Greene’s contribution to the Guyana Police Force and to public security and safety in Guyana. We extend our condolences to the bereaved relatives and friends,” the release concluded.
Police, in a statement, had said the accident occurred around 9.10 am on Friday. Greene was driving his SUV along the roadway, when it is reported that his vehicle veered into the lane of a car, which was travelling in the opposite direction, resulting in a head-on collision, the police said. Jamaluddin was in this car, which was heading west, while Greene was heading east in his vehicle. The police said that after Greene collided with the car, his vehicle then collided with the Bakewell truck that was travelling behind the car.
As a result of the collision, Greene and Jamaluddin, of Adelphi, East Canje Berbice, received injuries and were pronounced dead on arrival at the West Demerara Regional Hospital (WDRH). Greene was alive when he was pulled out of his vehicle, according to eyewitnesses, but he succumbed on the way to the hospital. Greene was 58.
Eight other persons were injured in the horrific smash-up: the driver of the car, Raheem Kaleem, 45; his sons Reeaz Kaleem, 18; and Fawaaz Kaleem, 15; along with Shaimoon Kaleem, 46; and Zaitoon Hoosein, 26, all of Canefield, East Canje. Shaimoon Kaleem was treated at the WDRH and sent away, while the others were transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPH)
At the GPH yesterday, this newspaper was informed that Raheem Kaleem’s condition deteriorated and he had to be transferred to the High Dependency Unit (HDU), where Zaitoon Hoosein is also a patient. He was said to have suffered injuries to the stomach.
Fawaaz Kaleem underwent surgery to his leg yesterday his aunt said and at the time of this newspaper’s visit, he had just returned to the ward from the theatre and was sleeping. His brother, Reeaz, was reportedly discharged.
