The road deaths of young squash player Ian Mekdeci and former racer Colin Ming have spurred the Mothers in Black organisation to hold a candlelight vigil on Sunday, July 10, 2022, as it looks to renew its road safety efforts.
Mekdeci, 27, was killed by an alleged drunk driver who breach-ed a red light, and slammed into a car in which he was travelling on May 1 this year. Meanwhile Ming, the brother of businessman Stanley Ming, died a day after he was involved in a collision with an ambulance on April 1, 2021.
Mothers in Black, a civic organization which was an offshoot of the Alicea Foundation, was birthed following the death of Alicia Gouveia in 1997. The heart-broken mother of Gouveia, Denise Dias, has since worked tirelessly, along with other organizations and government, to make the roads safer for “our children and young people.”
Dias told Stabroek News, that the organization has been dormant for a while, following the COVID-19, pandemic. However, she said, the deaths of Mekdeci, who was a friend of her son Deje, and who was supposed to be the Best Man at his (Deje’s) wedding in December, and Ming in the last year, have highlighted the need to once again make road safety an issue.
As a result, Mothers in Black will be holding the candle light vigil on Sunday, July 10, 2022 at the residence of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Mekdeci, the late Ian Mekdeci’s parents, in Subryanville.
The vigil, according to Dias, will be held the on Subryanville public road, opposite the seawall, just before the turn by the Russian Embassy. She is asking anyone who has lost a loved one to road accident to attend the vigil and bring a picture of their loved one. She said wearing black is recommended, but other colours are welcomed. Candles would be provided.
