A pensioner drowned in the East La Penitence canal on Monday.
Herman Barratt, 73, of East La Penitence, Georgetown, was said to have drowned at about 4:30pm in the East La Penitence canal.
Stabroek News understands that Barratt was heading to fix a pipe which is located at the edge of the canal when he fell over and ended up in the water.
Barratt’s step-daughter, Jinel Peters, yesterday told Stabroek News that the man was fixing the pipe at the time.
“He went going and fix the pipe, we tell he don’t go in, don’t go in, but he still went, we went upstairs, like 15 minutes after I come out and me ain’t see he but I see something bubbling up but me ain’t seeing nobody, so I start call and holler fuh help.”
Peters said that upon hearing her screams, her husband and a neighbour who lives just beside the canal responded by immediately diving into the water in an attempt to save her step-father.
“The man from over the next side of the canal jump over and start searching fuh he, me children father went going out the dam and he hear I hollering suh he turn back and then he jump over and he deh searching, searching, but he ain’t find he, the man from over deh [the neighbour] like he kick he pants under the water and then he pull he up… them went searching like a good ten minutes.”
