The mother of St. Lucian Cub Scout, Nick Omari Joseph, who was seriously injured following an accident on Tuesday afternoon at Woolford Avenue, flew into the country yesterday as his condition remains critical but stable.
The two other victims were treated and sent away.
Camp Chief of the Cuboree, Zaida Joaquin, when contacted for an update on the accident informed Stabroek News the Joseph was up to yesterday afternoon a patient at the Georgetown Public Hospital’s (GPH) Intensive Care Unit (ICU). She said he underwent emergency surgery on Tuesday evening and was still in an unconscious state.
Meanwhile, the Scout Association in a statement aid doctors were able to successfully seal the head injury Joseph sustained overnight. It said that there was no report of internal bleeding.
Joseph’s mother arrived in Guyana yesterday afternoon.
Joseph, another St. Lucian Scout, Darnell Matthew and his mother, Jacqueline Matthew, who is a scout leader, were struck down by a car on Tuesday afternoon near the Scout Association of Guyana headquarters at Woolford Avenue.
The driver of the car, PSS 1236, Tracy Fordyce remains in custody, as investigations into the matter continue.
The three victims are all visiting as part of the 14th Caribbean Cuboree currently being held in Guyana. The event is scheduled to run until July 29 and some 1,000 youths from 14 countries are said to be participating.
The police in a press release had said that investigations into the accident revealed that the driver parked her vehicle in front of the North Georgetown Primary School and went into the school to conduct a registration but she was refused entry because of her mode of dress.
“As a result she became annoyed and drove out of the Avenue, in the process the vehicle struck down the two children,” the police release stated.
An eyewitness, who asked not to be named, had told this newspaper that the driver of the car had gotten stuck in the mud before the vehicle gained traction. Subsequently, the driver, who was said to be in a fit of rage, reportedly lost control and struck the victims.
Joaquin had explained that during the planning stages, the association had made a written request for the area to be cordoned off which was denied.
The request according to her had been made because of the high amount of traffic in the area and the children having to traverse between various buildings in the vicinity.
The organization in the statement also assured the parents and guardians of the 1000 Cub Scouts currently encamped in Woolford Avenue for the 14th Caribbean Cuboree; that all measures are being taken to ensure they remain safe.
Counselling is also being provided by counsellors from the Ministry of Social Protection to all who may have been traumatized by the accident.
