The widow of Ryan Khayum has accepted a $4 million+ compensation package from the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) following the boat accident involving a coast guard vessel that resulted in his death in April.
Chandinie Khayum had initially rejected an offer of $3.4 million offered by the army, saying that it was not enough to cover her losses and asked that they consider a higher offer.
An uncle, Ramroop Mahase, confirmed to this newspaper that the GDF returned about a month ago and made a higher offer, which the widow accepted.
Attorney General Anil Nandlall told this publication that a settlement offer in the vicinity of $4.3 million was being offered.
The family had rejected the initial offer on the grounds that the amount offered then by the GDF did not take into consideration the fact that a life was lost.
Mahase explained that the amount only covers the expenses the family incurred at the time of the accident.
“The amount just covers the expenses when you check it. It is $600,000 to repair the boat, $640,000 to buy a new engine – that is $1.2 million already, then you had to pay $300,000 to the divers and they gave her $900,000 for the goods she had in the boat plus the funeral expenses. It is like the wife and the two other persons in the boat don’t have no compensation. When we ask what about a life loss, they said they can’t do nothing about that,” Mahase had related.Meanwhile, Mahase said that they are still awaiting word from the police about charges to be instituted against the coast guard ranks who were involved in the boat collision. He noted that the last update they received a few months ago was that the case file was still with the office of Director of Public Prosecution and the rank that was investigating the matter had been transferred.
The police had sent the file for legal advice before moving forward to institute any possible charges.
According to a press release from the GDF, their investigations revealed that a Guyana Defence Force Coast Guard vessel, the GDFS HAWK 1028, with four ranks on board, was returning to the Floating Base from Charity, Essequibo, when the accident took place around 9pm on April 20.
While it was claimed by persons around at the time that the Coast Guard ranks were under the influence of alcohol but breathalyzer test results were not released.
Khayum’s body was found floating a short distance away from the site of the crash.
Mahase had told this newspaper that the boat collision occurred at Martindale, Pomeroon River, where the farmer’s wife had stopped to make a payment to an avocado farmer.
“They just pulled out from the farmer’s landing when this Coast Guard vessel come and hit them from the back. It had no light on. My niece [and the others] were travelling in a 45ft steel boat and they had lights on …” Mahase had said.
