By Rae Wiltshire
A father of seven was shot dead yesterday by a security guard at the Pritipaul Singh wharf at Mc Doom, East Bank Demerara.
Fisherman Envil Pollard, 45, also known as ‘Elvis,’ of 384 Crane Playfield, West Coast Demerara, was killed in what police described as a confrontation with the security guard.
In a statement, the police said the shooting occurred at around 9:35am. Pollard, who was in his boat under the wharf, was “confronted” by the armed security guard attached to Pritipaul Singh Investment Inc. He was shot to his chest. He was later taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
The security guard was in police custody up to press time last evening.
Based on reports gathered by this newspaper, it appeared as though the security guard had an ongoing problem with the fisherman. A relative of the dead man said the security guard had complained to Pollard that other persons were paying him more than what he was giving to him and he would have to pay more.
When Stabroek found Pollard’s family and friends at Stabroek Market, some were crying, while others were expressing their anger at his death.
His wife, Ashmoonkai Asha, was trying in vain to comfort their crying 13-year-old son. She said the security guard had wanted $5,000 in payment from Pollard. She added that when he said that amount of money was out of his reach—because he had seven children to take care of—the security guard had threatened him.
A relative, who saw the man’s body, thought he was shot three times; once to his neck, shoulder and testicles.
A vendor at the Stabroek Market said she spoke to a man who was with Pollard when the shooting occurred. “Well Elvis and de boy de gone fishing. And de boy see de man pun a tower and ’e seh, ‘Elvis gunman coming.’ But Elvis continue. And de other boy start to move away, and bam! ’E ’ear something. So de man turn around right away and he ain’t see Elvis in de boat. So, ’e thought Elvis jump in de river. But when ’e turn around de boat, ’e see Elvis lie down dead deh. So de man shake Elvis because like ’e couldn’t believe it. And ’e get frighten and move away fast, fast,” she said.
When Stabroek News visited the Pritipaul Singh Fisheries, it was tightly secured and this newspaper was prohibited from entering the compound. Nevertheless, some persons exiting the compound in the afternoon gave some details about the shooting.
“I see what happen, them shoot and kill de …. man,” said one person.
Another man, who said Pollard would go there to fish often, was among the persons who saw the body. “Me ain’t really see nothing, I just here de gunshot. And when I go to see, de man lie down dead in de boat,” another said. He noted that the majority of the damage was done to Pollard’s neck, while shrapnel punched holes about his body.
The man said the security guard often tried to intimidate. “The security face is always wrinch up and he does always hype up heself. I remember a time he de stand over me, and he shotgun deh right over me, and de man laugh. So, I move because me ain’t know if he safety on or off,” the man said.
He too suggested that Pollard had an arrangement with the guard. “But from wha I ’ear, like de man used to pay ’e, and ’e (Pollard) din wan give ’e more money,” he continued.
Asha said she was in a relationship with Pollard for 23 years and they made a life together by selling fish. He would do the fishing and she would sell at the Stabroek Market. He had started his career as a fisherman at the age of 13.
Pollard was described by his wife as hardworking. Asha said her husband found joy in providing for their children, Envil Jnr, 19, Alvin, 17, Arvin, 13, Farisha, 11, Taresha 10, Tenisha, 4, and Renesha 1.
