Three Guyanese, including a police woman, died when the car they were in en route to neighbouring Paramaribo skidded off the Oost-West Highway, at Nickerie and plunged into a canal.
Surinamese Police Commander Stanley Benchop confirmed that the dead three were Guyanese nationals.
Commissioner of Police Leroy Brumell later confirmed that that the police force’s Finance Secretary Andrea Isaacs had been one who perished in accident. Also dead are Guyana and Trinidad Mutual Insurance (GTM) employee Monique Lynch and a male whose identity has not yet been confirmed.
Reports are that retired educator, former principal of the North Ruimveldt Secondary School Vilma Lynch, who was one of four persons in the vehicle, sustained injuries and is currently hospitalised in Suriname. Police said she was in a state of shock and “could not provide the authorities with credible information.”
According to Surinamese police reports, the car allegedly took a swing to the right-hand side of the road and eventually toppled into the canal. Sources indicate that the party of four arrived Friday afternoon in South Drain aboard the Canawaima Ferry Service and were on their way to Paramaribo.
When Stabroek News visited the home of Isaacs’ mother, she still had not heard of her daughter’s death. The weeping elderly woman could not contain herself as she told of wishing her only female child a safe trip early yesterday morning. “Only this morning me and she sit right here on this step talking about the trip. She was on leave so she and Monique decide to take the walk. She said she was tired but my God is a permanent rest she gone and rest? I wish I had told her to stay,” Isaacs said as she sobbed. Her hands trembled as she held her phone to break the news to her remaining child, Brian Isaacs, who teaches in the Bahamas.
Her only child, Liana Isaacs, screamed when she learnt of her mother’s demise and could not be consoled by relatives. The distraught young woman was in a state of shock as she kept asking repeatedly if it was clear that it was her mother who was in the accident. She too said that her mother had only left “this morning good, good for Suriname.”
Even the Police Commissioner informed that he was in shock. “This is really sad news to hear how she died…she was on leave and now to hear this… I knew her well, gosh this is so sad,” said Brumell.
