Guyana remains a peaceful and safe destination for tourists, Minister of Tourism and Telecommunication Cathy Hughes says. In a statement issued yesterday in the wake of the murder of British teen Dominic Bernard, Hughes expressed condolences to Bernard’s family. “He was not a tourist but we would have loved to have the pleasure of showing the beauty of Guyana to this budding film maker,” she said.
Eighteen-year-old Bernard had travelled from London to Guyana on October 14, 2015. His father has said that the teen was supposed to have been visiting his god brother Aaron Hing but there was no trace of him after he cleared customs. On January 8, a decomposed body suspected to be Bernard’s was discovered in the backlands of Nurney, which is located next to Kildonan.
Hing and Staymon George were arrested the following day after wanted bulletins were issued by authorities. The men, while in police custody, allegedly admitted to murdering Bernard, bludgeoning him to death and burying his body in a shallow grave just a few hours after his arrival in the country.
Apart from the two men, three others, Krystal Thomas, called “Kathy,” 20, of 19 Public Road, Kildonan, Jahmeil Sinclair, called “Fross,” or “Bacchus,” 19, of Kildonan Village and Sinfine Henry, called “Coreen,” 39, of Nurney Village, were also charged with involvement in the murder.
In her statement yesterday, Hughes commended the police, particularly the investigating team, for the swift investigations, the apprehension of the suspects and for acquiring their confessions.
“This is indeed a tragic and unfortunate occurrence,” Hughes said. “It has cast a shadow over our beautiful land that so many thousands of people across the diaspora are planning to visit in the coming months.”
She added: “This ugly incident, however, has strengthened our resolve to show the real Guyana to the rest of the world as a country renowned for its natural physical beauty and its kind and hospitable multi-cultural people,” she said.
“This entirely unacceptable incident occurred at a sensitive time when Guyana is preparing to host thousands of returning Guyanese and other visitors to the celebrations to mark the 50th Anniversary of our Independence. Unfortunately, many people around the world may associate this recent tragedy with the general safety and wellbeing of visitors expected here during the course of this year of our Golden Jubilee,” she added.
“Collectively, we reaffirm that Guyanese are not the sum of the few twisted, maladjusted individuals who take lives. Rather, we reiterate that Guyana remains a peaceful, scenic, serene and safe destination for tourists and visitors who come for any reason,” the statement declared.
It added that the Ministry will not be defined by this personal, heinous crime that was committed on Bernard. “We continue to mourn his loss and will also continue to offer our support to his grieving family,” the statement said.
