A Whim, Corentyne family is pleading with the Region Six authorities for assistance after their pet monkey and dog were attacked and killed by a swarm of Africanized bees on Sunday last. According to residents of the area, the bee nest is on a vacant lot that is state owned.
Whim resident Marlon Cort told Stabroek News that early Sunday morning his son was carrying out his daily chores when the bees launched their attack. The man said that his son, who was stung and in a state of fright, informed him.
His wife Rhonda Cort said her pet monkey, Caesar, was chained and could not escape. “So I try to make lil smoke and throw the smoke on the grass,” she said. “In the meantime Caesar deh trying, he fanning he tail for them bees come off he tail but them still hold on pon Caesar. If you see bees, hundreds of bees deh on Caesar. When I throw the smoke on the grass, Caesar stand up and Caesar hollering. A feel it when Caesar hollering but I couldn’t help him,” Cort said as her voice broke and tears rolled from her eyes. The family’s dog also died after being severely stung by the bees.
“So I want these people to move out them old iron from that place, whoever in charge,” she added. “It could have been me son because he first get bite with the bees.”
Meanwhile, in September last year, Cort’s husband, who is visually impaired had met Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo and voiced his concerns about the bees. He said that the next day an expert had visited the area and successfully trapped some of the bees, but others continued to swarm there.
Rhonda Cort then explained that sometime back she met Regional Chairman David Armogan, who had promised to intervene. “Me tell he them bees coming at me pipe like them want to come drink water. He said he gone call the woman in charge of drainage and irrigation over there. But everybody backing out, nobody ain’t coming in the bush because everybody frighten the bees,” she stated. “Even if you chase the bees them out the old iron and machine still there the bees go come back and make their nest. That place need to clear.”
Up to last Friday, she said, she had gone to meet the Representative of the Prime Minister in Region Six Gobin Harbhajan but left his office, which is located in Port Mourant, Corentyne, empty handed.
According to Cort, “Before time you coulda see till on the road [but] afterwards them make there as a dumpsite for iron and since then bees coming and making their nest. Several reports I make and nobody make an effort to come and check them, I does go to work and me husband visually impaired. What gon happen if he come down to go washroom and them bees come?”
The couple also divulged that sometime back a cow was killed by the bees on the land. According to them, the Whim/Bloomfield Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC), scared of the bees, refused to send its staff to remove the carcass, leaving residents in the area to deal with the stench for several weeks.
Apart from the Corts’ residence, the NDC office, the Regional Democratic Council office, the Whim Police Station and the Whim Magistrate’s Court are all in proximity of the bee-infested land.
