Almost two years… minimal progress, no justice

Jul 16, 2011 News

On September 8, 2009, Everton Douglas, 53, was on his way home when he ended up in a tragic accident at approximately 3pm. He was blind. He sustained severe injuries about the body.
The blind man who resided at 31 Nelson Street, Mocha, East Bank Demerara with his mother, was hit by a speeding minibus in the village. At the time of the accident, the vehicle was operated by the conductor, Gavin Williams, who was an unlicensed driver.
Mr. Douglas sustained spinal injuries, two broken legs and other injuries. Consequently, he was hospitalized for 31 pain-filled days. While the victim lay hoping and praying daily for life, the conductor in default was left a free man.
After about three weeks, Mr. Douglas was recommended by doctors to do a spinal surgery which was said to be successful. However, relatives believed that he was “not going to make it” even though the wounds were healing. But to their surprise, Mr. Douglas kept a positive mental attitude and displayed much physical strength to the very end.
He was discharged on October 9, 2009. His niece recollected that she thought it was the end of him when after thirty-one days of being bed ridden, he was placed to sit up in a car. She recalled that he was crying out for pain and acting as though he would collapse.
He, however, managed to live for a few more hours. He succumbed on October 10, 2009 at his residence. An autopsy revealed that Mr. Douglas died from a spinal injury which he sustained during the accident.
The matter was reported to the Mocha Police Outpost. The conductor was charged and the case was called a few times at the Providence Magistrate’s Court, the most recent being on July 1, 2011,
The magistrate has sent it trial scheduled to begin November 4, next.
One relative told this newspaper that she believes that Mr. Douglas’s mother should have negotiated with Williams and taken compensation from the beginning because the case will be prolonged and eventually nothing will come of it.
Mr. Douglas’s sister-in-law recalled encouraging and supporting Douglas by visiting him twice daily while he was in hospital. She expressed her disappointment at the rate at which the case is progressing.
In the wake of the accident, conductors ceased operating minibuses in the community. But that was just for a period; today that custom has resumed. One relative said, “This is not the first incident of this nature but apparently we have to see a more serious accident for the norm to be eradicated.”

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Almost two years… minimal progress, no justice

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