On October 5th, 2019, four Corentyne fishermen left home to head out to sea to ply their trade with the intention of returning with an income to take care of their families.
Those families are now left to not only fend for themselves but to also mourn the loss of their loved ones as one week after leaving home, the men’s boat was found aback of Cromarty Village, Corentyne. There was no sign of the fishermen.
The four included boat captain Vishnu Seeram, also known as ‘Kevin’, 20, of Port Mourant, Corentyne and Marvin Tamasar, also known as ‘Buddy’, 20, of Lot 305 Port Mourant, Corentyne, who both remain missing.
The other two were Otto Lamar Petrie, 20, of Lot 9 Miss Phoebe, Port Mourant and Kawal Kissoon, also known as ‘Ajai’, 36, of Lot 233 Letter Kenny, Corentyne, whose bodies were found along the Mahaicony and Abary foreshores respectively. Autopsies revealed that both men died from drowning but suffered massive injuries to their heads before drowning. The men were also discovered with their hands and feet tied together.
Relatives have since buried the bodies. A service was held for Kissoon on Saturday and Petrie’s service will be held today.
As of Saturday after-noon, a team was still out at sea continuing the search for Seeram and Tamasar.
Although on an annual basis, piracy attacks may be rare in Guyana, when-ever they occur, they usually claim the lives of multiple fishermen. The horrific attacks often grab the attention of the nation in the initial stages but after the news cycle moves on to the next story, the families of the fishermen are left to pick up the pieces.
The ties the fishermen had to their families, their friends, and their communities are sometimes never spoken about or brought to light. The situation in which their families are left are some-times never made public.
For the two fishermen who remain missing, their families are presently struggling with whether to continue to hope for their return or to grieve the loss of their sons. The families said that at this point, they are doing both, since, although the fisher-men’s chances of surviving the attack seem slim, they will forever have hope that they might return, unless their bodies are found.
Tamasar’s relatives have spent their recent days crying and remembering him. Stabroek News visited their homes several times over the last week when relatives from afar and near, as well as neighbours, gathered to grieve with the immediate family.
The families seem confused, frustrated and lost as to how to feel and react to the situation.
Tamasar’s mother, Sanita Rawan, 47, often sits on her own and gazes away, lost in thoughts of her son until someone speaks to her and she returns to a reality where her son is no longer physically with her.
Tamasar had nine siblings and he was the third child. His mother, in an interview with this news-paper, said that while her husband took care of the family, her son, whenever he was employed, also assisted.
She said that the lad was very helpful, while his sisters also recalled that he was very caring towards them.
One of his sisters yesterday recounted that her brother was a very quiet person. “He very quiet, he don’t get into problem with nobody,” she said.
Back on feet
For Seeram’s relatives, their troubles seem to be never-ending as it was only in December that he, his then pregnant mother Shamwattie Inderjeet, 40, and sister, 21, were beaten during a robbery at their relative’s home in Number 19 Village, Corentyne.
Inderjeet, a single mother now, was then five months pregnant when she returned from an overseas vacation. She and her children were residing at a cousin’s house when armed bandits pounced on them.
The bandits stole US$1,000, $15,000, four gold chains worth over $250,000 and three gold rings worth over $50,000 from the trio. The bandits also carted off $650,000 in cash and $50,000 in phone cards from Inderjeet’s cousin, who operated a grocery shop.
According to Inderjeet, it was after the robbery that she decided to move to Port Mourant and rent a house. “Me did scare so we come way here. I from this side so I come back here,” she told Stabroek News.
She said that her son was now working to get back on his feet when he recently started to encounter difficulties in his work. But despite having to return to land after a failed trip, then a damaged boat and a sick crewman, Seeram did not let anything break his spirits as he held out that he would return to sea for a third time to be able to clear his debts. “Me tell he ‘boy abie go try pay out the boat man the money’ but he say no, he go go and come back and pay out the man and done,” the grieving woman recount-ed.
Seeram was described as a hardworking and caring individual. His sister said he always ensured that they had everything they needed.
She also recalled that she saw the clothing she packed for her brother on the boat when it was found. “All the clothes that deh on the boat, me pack in he bag and give he to go,” she said as she broke into tears.
For the other two families, their worst fears were confirmed when they identified the bodies that were found as that of their loved ones.
Petrie’s godmother, Robinta Thomas, yesterday said that the young lad was “a special and kind person, a very nice child, a very nice, attentive, loving and helpful child.”
She said that Petrie first gained employment at a water supply business on the Corentyne but was laid off after business slowed down. As such, he was eager to head out to sea to work since it would have meant his “big break” into the world of work.
Presently, Petrie’s mother is still battling to come to terms with his loss and was unable to speak with this publication.
Petrie leaves behind five siblings. He was the eldest.
Meanwhile, for Kissoon, it seems that his family has gotten closure since the incident as at every step of the preparations for his final arrangements, his wife was accompanied by a group of relatives.
Tashminie Seecharran, also known as ‘Tasha’, 31, said that she resided in Suriname
with her husband but together they decided to return to Guyana to be closer to relatives once she became pregnant.
She said that her husband was a loving man with a big heart who cared for each of his relatives. “He always does call and see how we doing and if everything ok,” she said.
Kissoon’s parents live in the same yard as him and he would often watch over them and assist in any way he could. Both of his elderly parents are sickly with his father presently bedridden.
Seecharran said that her husband’s death has taken a toll on the family especially his parents who are yet to come to terms with it. It is clear that despite the heartache Seecharran is facing, she is trying to put up a brave face for her in-laws and her eight months old daughter.
Seecharran, a stay-at-home mom, is now left with the responsibilities of caring for her child. She is also the mother of two other children who reside with their father.
The families said that they would be grateful for any assistance from the authorities or the general public.
