Eight-year-old St. Lucian Cub Scout, Nick Omari Joseph who was injured in an accident on Woolford Avenue, Georgetown on July 26 has finally been able to return home.
According to a press release from the Scout Association of Guyana, Joseph departed Guyana on Sunday along with his mother, Delia Finistere.
Joseph along with another Cub Scout, nine-year-old Darnell Matthews were injured after being struck by motor vehicle, PSS 1236 which was being driven by a female on Woolford Avenue, in the vicinity of the Scout Association of Guyana (SAG) Headquarters. They were in the company of their country Scout’s Group Leader, Jacqueline Matthews who also sustained minor injuries.
The driver of the vehicle was subsequently charged and remanded.
Mathews was treated for minor injuries and sent away, however Joseph had sustained a fractured skull and injury to his lung as a result of being submerged after being hit by the vehicle.
Quick action by a team of doctors saw his condition being stabilised within hours of the accident and the Cub Scout has been recovering gradually since that time.
Joseph’s mother, Delia Finistere arrived in Guyana shortly after to be with him during his recovery.
Joseph’s mother emotionally extended gratitude to all who played a role in his recovery, noting she was extremely happy to be returning home with her son.
President of SAG and Chief Scout, Ramsay Ali who was also at the Ogle International Airport to bid Joseph and his mother farewell, noted that “What kept Nick in hospital for a longer period was in fact; some damage was done to his lungs because he actually spent about three and a half minutes under water and that was a little bit of a concern to doctors in the first five days. This was treated and he responded very well.”
He extended gratitude to the Government of Guyana, the doctors and everyone who was a part of the process.
Ali said the surgery Joseph underwent for his head injury was very successful, according to the doctor who performed the procedure, but the injury sustained to his lungs were of more concern to doctors.
Minister within the Ministry of Education, Hon. Nicolette Henry, SAG Chief Commissioner, Zaida Joaquin and friend of the Joseph family, Francisca Charles, were all at the airport.
In brief remarks, Minister Henry said she was happy that Joseph’s condition has improved to the point that he is now able to return home. She said she was also pleased that the Cuboree continued after the unfortunate accident, without further incident.
Joaquin, who was performing the duties of Camp Chief of the 14th Caribbean Cuboree at the time of the accident, said while the incident was extremely unfortunate, it served to bring the members of the scouting fraternity together.
“The positive is that as a Scout Association…we all bond together as a family and that is a positive; not only for scouting but for this country as a whole. We bond together to make sure that Nick had the best care and that his mom had the best support. Scouting is really a family. If people can recognize that as scouts we can live as family, I think all other human beings can live as family. Because of this process I believed that is what held his mother up because we were in daily contact with her providing support and also Nick…,” she pointed out.
Joaquin said she will be visiting St. Lucia in October to follow up on Joseph’s recovery in her capacity as a representative of the Inter-America Scout Region.
Joseph was among 1,000 Cub Scouts gathered in Guyana for the Cuboree, at the time of the accident.
