Latest update February 14th, 2025 8:22 AM
Body of murdered Barbados-based Guyanese to be flown home
The body of Guyanese Christopher Griffith, who was shot dead in Barbados a week ago, is expected to arrive in Guyana on Tuesday for burial in his home village of Pomona, Essequibo.
Relatives told this newspaper that, should everything go according to plan, Griffith, who was 26 years old, will be buried on Thursday.
Two of his sisters who reside in Barbados will be travelling with the body.
Another Guyanese, Seelochanie Samuels, who was also shot when gunmen raided a bar on Bay Street, St Michael, Barbados, is reportedly recovering in hospital.
She reportedly underwent successful surgery to remove the bullets that were lodged in her body.
This newspaper was unable to ascertain if anyone has been arrested for the crime.
Relatives of the two Guyanese believe that the incident was a direct attack on the Guyanese community on the island.
They have almost ruled out robbery as a motive for the attack, since they are convinced that the shooting may have stemmed from Samuels’s strong advocacy for the rights of Guyanese on the island.
Samuels, who has been residing in Barbados for close to 10 years, had established the bar and many Guyanese frequented the spot to link up with their countrymen, many of whom are employed in the construction industry on the island.
According to the relative, the Barbados Police have been ‘harassing’ the business place, apparently looking for illegal Guyanese workers.
On many occasions Samuels, whose husband is a Barbadian, was forced to challenge the Bajan Authorities whenever they raided her business. “She was of the opinion that they were envious of her progress.
She is a legitimate resident of Barbados. Only six months ago the police raided the place, and she complained about the aggressive attitude of the Bajan Police.
Is this a case of what recently happened in South Africa?” the relative queried.
On Saturday last, at around 19:00 hours, two gunmen walked into the bar operated by Samuels, shot Christopher Griffith dead, and also wounded Samuels when she tried to intervene.
The shooting was hardly reported in the media on the island, and this newspaper has been unsuccessful in attempts to gather information from the sister CARICOM territory.
Samuels’s relatives are angry at the way the matter is being treated by the Barbadian Authorities.
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