Dear Editor,
My name is Melinda Nicholas and I am an Amerindian mother residing in Mahdia, Potaro/Siparuni. I am writing to tell you of my six year old daughter Shania Nicholas who was struck down by a motor vehicle on Nov 19, 2013 while she was walking with her relative on the Mahdia public road. Residents at the scene of the accident said that the driver of the vehicle, was speeding and under the influence of alcohol at the said time. While at the Mahdia hospital waiting on the doctor, I also witnessed that the driver was drunk.
Editor, in spite of all my efforts, I have been unable to receive any form of justice for my daughter. Although the driver of the car was clearly under the influence of alcohol at the time, four months later, when the Mahdia Traffic Police Corporal came to my home to take a statement from me, he indicated to me that the driver was not under the influence of alcohol, but was placed on $50,000 bail and would be charged for dangerous driving.
Six months after the accident the case was first called on April 15, 2014, but I was not allowed to hear what the driver said to the Magistrate. Afterwards, the magistrate questioned me and my relative who was with my daughter at the time of the accident. On July 15, 2014 the case was called again. While standing outside the court waiting for my name to be called, the Mahdia Traffic Police Corporal came outside and told me that the case had been postponed to Jul 18 2014. The driver then left from inside the court and went away. I did not get to see the Magistrate on this day. On July 18, 2014, I went to court but when I got there at 7:45hrs, the driver was leaving the court compound, and the Mahdia Traffic Police Corporal told me I reached late and that the case was dismissed and is now over.
Sometime after, a lawyer in Georgetown sent a letter to the Mahdia Police Station instructing them to have the man appear before a High Court judge. Although the letter was received by the police in time, the man subsequently left the area and the police returned the letter to me three days after, saying “the man is not around anymore.” Being a resident of this area, I can assure you that the man was in the area up to two days after the letter was returned to me.
Later on, I asked the Georgetown police ranks to locate the man. But this also failed as a fictitious address, which had an abandoned house on it, was given as the man’s last known address by the Mahdia Police ranks. The Inspector and Sergeant of the Mahdia Police Station were unable to help me resolve this matter. I am also informed that the man is planning to migrate from Guyana shortly.
Editor, I am of the opinion that the attitude of the Mahdia Traffic Police Corporal and ranks of the Mahdia Police Station is very disrespectful to my daughter who has spent many months in hospital receiving more than five surgeries to her foot, which still remains damaged. With the help of my relatives, I have spent more than $1.5 million trying to repair the damage to my daughter’s foot. Recently, her foot has started to swell and will need more treatment in Georgetown. I am thus appealing through your newspaper for someone in authority to please help me receive justice for what has been done to my daughter.
Yours faithfully,
Melinda Nicholas
