Family members question a death at Baganara

Nov 05, 2013 News

By Ashawna Harris
On September 12, last, a 19-year-old lost his life. The conclusion was that he drowned. Ryan Anthony Harris of lot 124 Aubrey Barker Road, South Ruimveldt Park was employed as a tour guide at the Baganara Island and resort, Essequibo, for directly three weeks before his death. Ryan’s family is still mourning the loss. He was his mother’s only son.
“It’s been almost two months since the death of my only son. The way it seems, since we are not financially able to challenge this case the police would only work for two days and then get tired. They passed this case off as an accident. But since we know better we are prepared to fight to the finish.
“The day Ryan got through with the job we were overwhelmed for him since getting through with job we thought he would have been able to directly support his family financially which was one of his main desires.
“Within the three weeks that Ryan was employed there he never missed one day of calling us, since he would both call to check up on us to see how we are doing and also sharing his daily encounters. His only complaint was that the place was very boring and the food was terrible.”
The Saturday before Ryan’s death he called requesting us to send our laptop computer so that he could use it as a form of entertainment to play music, watch DVD and play his usual games. Instead, his relatives purchased a portable DVD with features to accommodate flash drives, SD slot and games.
This purchase was made the day before his death. His mother, Tonia Richmond left her home around noon the following day. Ryan never stopped calling because he thought that we would have missed the flight; he called countless times that very day. They sent the package but he still really didn’t believe it.
However, around 07:45pm his family received a call announcing the death of Ryan. The following Tuesday the family received a visit from an employee of the Baganara Island and Resort. The visitor was one of Ryan’s workmates, Fordyce.
He explained that he and Ryan went to receive the package from the aircraft. He said that when Ryan collected the package he opened it at a nearby seat at the airstrip. He added that Ryan played one of the CDs on their way back to the resort which, he explained seemed to be a few meters away.
Fordyce said that at the time the other staff members were on the beach playing while some were in the river swimming. Fordyce stated that he left Ryan sitting on the seat near the beach and he stepped out to use the toilet.
Fordyce said stated that on his way back to the beach he heard a scream and he noticed the manager running towards the beach. He said he took it for nothing but went straight to the location where he left Ryan but saw no one there only the portable and the other stuff.
He also added that their supervisor was in the shallow part of the river swimming so he said he asked him if he saw Ryan and the supervisor replied that he saw Ryan walking past him heading into the water fully attired.
He said that in disbelief he called Ryan’s cell phone and found it a few meters away from where he left Ryan. He went into the river.
Fordyce stated that shortly after he came out the water Ryan’s hat floated up. And not long after divers were there using a compressor to locate the body. In no time he said they brought up the body. The superiors stated that no one was to touch the body until the body reaches the Bartica Hospital not even to carry out the process of mouth to mouth resuscitation.
According to Fordyce the body was immediately taken to the hospital where Ryan was pronounced dead. On October 16, a post mortem stated that Ryan died from a hit to the head which caused a concussion and led to quick drowning.
Ryan’s family finds it odd to believe that Ryan would leave his portable which has access to games to enter the water. His family also finds it hard to understand the cause of Ryan’s death. The members would have heard several different stories relating to his case but are concerned that the Baganara group of company is only focusing on compensating the family.

2 thoughts on “Family members question a death at Baganara”

Ultimate W November 5, 2013 at 4:54 pm

Very strange, I thought someone did it to steel his portable but the unit was still there, strange indeed.

In anycase it does look like a homicide.
Cotton_Candy November 5, 2013 at 10:58 pm

You … killed that baby for his DVD and is trying to cover it up, how can you people sleep at nights knowing that you took someone’s life? Ryan’s mom lost her only ” SON ”
and you think that she should just accept it as an accident. Mommy fight for justice to be served for your son’s murder, I do hope that some attorney would be willing to offer their service free of charge or if they have a LEGAL-AIDE society in Guyana they should be able to represent her in court. May Ryan soul rest in peace, my sincere sympathy is extended to his loving Mother, family and friends. Boy, some of our folks in Guyana has lost all their compassion, humanity and love for their fellow human-beings.