Families of slain Cops receive assistance from Foundation

The Guyana Police Force’s Fallen Heroes Foundation on Friday, February 9, 2018, donated close to $900,000 to nine families of police officers who died in the line of duty. The handing over ceremony was held at the Police Officers’ Mess, Eve Leary.

The sum donated will cater to the needs of a total of 20 children and is given every term.

Chairman of the Fallen Heroes Foundation, Raphael Massiah said the monies are given based on the number of donations received from business persons and contributions made by ranks of the police force.

He explained that “each family is quite different so we do an assessment, each year we do this kind of assessment the particular needs; things like school fees, uniforms, lessons fees. We have made a contribution of a laptop to one child who is writing CXC but did not have that kind of resource.”

He noted that the foundation also submits its books to be audited every year in order to ensure accountability.

Commissioner of Police, Seelall Persaud said it is the hope of the force that the amount of monies given is increased and therefore urged more persons to contribute.

The mothers shared that they are grateful for the support from the foundation.

The Guyana Police Force’s Fallen Heroes Foundation was established in 2015 to help the families of officers who died in the line of duty.

Among the persons who received monetary donations is the wife of Leonard LaRose who was stabbed while apprehending a suspect who was wanted for rape at Mathews Ridge in 2016 and the wife of Sherwin Pantlitz who was killed in 2013 after a miner allegedly went berserk at his Middle Street, Georgetown home.