Millions demanded in settlement by families of victims killed by speeding Presidential escort in 2019
Allegedly left unattended by the David Granger administration and with the outcome of a Commission of Inquiry (CoI) still unknown, the Irfaan Ali-led Government is reportedly now forced to dole out millions of dollars in compensation to the families of five persons killed in a 2019 accident involving an escort car of the former President’s security entourage.
Attorney General, Anil Nandlall, SC, said the government is now being sued for compensation by the families and cried shame at the former APNU+AFC government for not settling those matters.
“They left these matters unattended and never attempted to compensate those persons.
“This government is now burdened with settling those matters… the compensation is running into millions,” Nandlall said Tuesday night as he spotlighted what he said was the lawlessness that permeated the Granger government.
Nandlall said the government is inclined to settle the matters instead of going to court because there is no evidence to the contrary.
“They didn’t sue when the APNU+AFC was in government but they are suing now,” Nandlall added.
Hours after the accident on October 15, 2019, Granger said he had instructed the Guyana Police Force (GPF) to conduct a full inquiry into the accident.
There was no subsequent update on the CoI and what it determined.
Five persons identified Ronnel Barker, 24, a Presidential Guard who was driving the police vehicle; Leon Tucker, 34, a member of the Guyana Defence Force, who was driving the other vehicle; Tucker’s aunt, Lovern Stoby, 66, who was a traffic officer at the John Fernandes Wharf and Denise King Josiah, 57 and Hubert Josiah, 58, both employees of the Diamond Diagnostic Centre were killed in the collision between the Police car and civilian vehicle.
The horrific accident occurred on the Friendship Public Road.
The injured survivors have been identified as Travis Fullington, and Tricia London of Third Street, Friendship, East Bank Demerara.
While Barker and Fullington were in the Police car, Tucker was driving the Josiahs, Stoby and London. He was on his way home from work when he noticed his aunt and the others on the roadway awaiting transportation and offered them a lift.
A surveillance video of the accident that was posted on Facebook showed that the Police vehicle was speeding.
Navigating a turn at the time, Tucker was proceeding along the opposite lane. The footage showed that just before the collision, Tucker was forced to apply brakes and slowed down in his lane.
However, the two vehicles collided and both spun around before coming to a halt some distance away from the point of impact.
The Police car landed in a nearby trench.