A model citizen killed in an undeserving way

Mar 02, 2015 Letters

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Dear Editor,
Last year was a tragic year. My friend Delon Barton lost his life in a road accident on May 4, 2014 on the Craig Public Road, East Bank Demerara, just some meters away from where he sometimes relaxed with his friends. Delon was extremely adventurous and equally popular. He was so full of life. This news greeted me in my facebook newsfeed. It caught me off guard and immediately invoked in me profound sadness.
Another friend of mine, Bodybuilder Delon Harlequin, died after being involved in a motorcycle accident on the evening of August 12, 2014. He was quite a humble soul; a very respectful young man. Most people saw him as a gentle giant. He never sought to prevail upon anyone despite his striking physique. His death touched my emotions as well…as expected.
Early last year another friend, Royston Abrams, was found hanging in one of the interior areas. He died in suspicious circumstances after certain persons were opposed to his occupying certain premises. He was very humble and laidback; another one of my school mates. We marveled at his basketball and football skills. He was quite the sportsman and an excellent barber.
On February 1, 2015 my father departed this world. This was just two months after attending my Bar Call and taking me out after to celebrate. He was rushed to the hospital the day before after complaining of feeling unwell and by 8 AM the following morning he was in a world not ours. When I got this news I closed the washroom door behind me and gave way to my emotions. I did not publicise my father’s passing due to my intending to celebrate his life in a grander way. It goes without saying that his passing affected me gravely.
Yesterday (Friday, February 27) I made the regrettable decision of browsing Facebook while I gobbled my lunch after court. And there it was, the headline ‘GGMC Employee Gunned Down Execution Style’. I saw the name Trevor Abrams and my fork stopped mid-air. My eyes welled up. I was in disbelief. My comment on my cousin’s, Antonia’s, post querying the error of this identity was simultaneous with her Whatsapp message alerting me to the worst. She was teary-eyed and disoriented while heading home after receiving the news at work. Facebook was immediately decorated with a collage of sentiments with common lyrics. We are friends of Trevor and were affected in such a grand way; one is left to the competence of his imagination to envision how this news impacted his father, brother, sister and relatives. Like both Delons (Barton and Harlequin) and Royston, Trevor was in his early 30s. Trevor’s death is out of the ordinary for too many reasons.
I will not allow the speculations, expressed or just entertained to go unanswered. Trevor was a model citizen in every sense of the notion. There is no adverse sentiment I can express about him. And all who knew him would be hard-pressed to say anything- in honesty- contrary to his good character. I have known Trevor since our tender school years. I cannot point to another human being who has escaped the trappings of peer pressure, youthful and adult adventurism as Trevor did. Despite our best concerted efforts to corrupt his morals we have failed miserably. He was a committed Christian. We failed to get him to drink, to party, to chase after girls or even to use curse words. His closest visitation with anger, which I can recollect was when someone fouled him on the basketball court and he suffered some nasty bruises; he asked the fella, ‘Boi how yuh gon play meh suh?…yuh gaffo be careful’. And he came off the basketball court. He was no doubt upset but not even remotely interested in venting beyond those few words. Trevor was an excellent basketball player. His general response to attempts to grind his emotions would be just a ‘steups’ and he would move on. I have never seen Trevor in a fight or heard of him being in one. I have never seen him disrespect anyone or heard anyone recount that he has. He epitomised humility.
Only two nights ago, a very sweet lady, who remembered me from my days working on the East Bank bus park, sent me a Facebook message notifying me that she read about my success and was very proud. I extended my gratitude and assured her that I was humbled by her kind words. I ventured to tell her that my story is not unique; that there are an abundance of determination stories out there. The single difference is that mine was publicised. And that I see mine only as representing theirs. Trevor’s story is one such story. He moved from Houston Community High School to Central High School. I remember our days traveling to school when he would disembark at Houston and I would proceed to Georgetown to attend school at Central. From Central he went on to The Government Technical Institute where I attended also. We both obtained our Diplomas in Land Surveying from there. And if I recall correctly, we both did Civil Engineering as well. He then attended the University of Guyana where he obtained his Engineering Degree. I am not sure if he had started his Masters Programme but he did indicate that was his next step. His progress is the product of sheer determination and a demonstration of strength of character.
I think what touches us most about his death is the manner in which he died. He did not deserve to die like that. He was not the type of person to rub anyone the wrong way. And I can say matter-of-factly that he was not the type of person who would have compromised his integrity and honesty while in employ at GGMC…or anywhere.  Any vendetta against him could only be the product of his foiling someone’s dishonesty or corrupt practices by insisting on the preservation of his own dignity.
Mark Chatarpal urged me not to lapse into grief and stay there, but rather to find a tangible way of celebrating his life; maybe a foundation or scholarship programme in his honour. It is hard not to grieve the loss of such a wonderful human being. Nevertheless, I see the wisdom in Mark’s suggestion. I cannot discourage his family and friends from treating with his passing in any way they must. All I can suggest is that we preserve him in a tangible way when our grief subsides.
He would say to me every so often, ‘Ronald boi I know was you coming up de road deh. Boi I could pick you out from anywhere how you does walk.’ Then he would top it off with his infectuous laughter. My brother, you will be dearly missed by everyone who knows you. I have no doubt about that. You have definitely gone too soon and in a manner not befitting of someone who has lived life the way you have.
INews has published an article suggesting that Trevor’s death is somehow tied to the execution of two persons not so long ago. The article claims that he was on the police radar, the implication being that he had criminal ties. My response to INews, the police source/s which presumably informed Inews, any other media entity or private individual who labour under this impression is as follows:
I pre-empted the media’s attempts to smear the character of Trevor Abrams. I cannot blame them entirely because they are most likely acting on information they received from whatever source. I wish to caution the media, however, not to report such representations as fact. Talk to the people who know Abrams.
The police could not have had Abrams on their radar for any criminal involvement. This has to be a gross misrepresentation of fact.
My standing in Abrams’ defence is by no means the traditional ‘he was a good boy’ rhetoric when someone is killed by the police or executed by unidentified assailants. I am prepared to risk my own image in the preservation of Abrams’ image. He simply was not the person this report is colouring him as.
I invite all of you who know Trevor to speak out against such non-sense. He was not stained while he lived and we shall not sit by idly and watch him stained in death.
Love you Bro.
Ronald J. Daniels

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