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Relatives want justice for dead security guard
Twenty-five year old Boris Blair, of Number Twenty-nine Village West Coast Berbice, was laid to rest on Wednesday, after he reportedly died by drowning when the boat in which he was travelling reportedly struck a tree and capsized in the Mazaruni
Killed: Boris Blair
River on Sunday. The three other persons who were in the boat survived.
Earlier, media reports stated that Blair, a security guard with Ramnarine Mining Company for the past two years, had gone to purchase items from a shop with three other men when their boat struck a tree in the river and capsized. They reported having held him by the hand in a rescue attempt, but the current was so strong that it caused them to lose grip. The guard was swept away by the water.
Family members of the deceased, however, have given a different story. They are contending that they have a strong view that there was foul play, and that they will do what is necessary to ensure that there is justice for their loved one.
According to relatives who rushed to the area after they got word of the reported accident, the people who were in Blair’s company at the time of the incident have given conflicting accounts of what happened. They are contending that contrary to an earlier report that was in the press , Blair, at the time he met his demise was, actually on duty and was supposed to be carrying an undisclosed quantity of raw gold.
The relative explained also that at the time of the incident Blair was carrying a shotgun and a pistol. The shot gun was turned in by one of the survivors, while the pistol was on the partly decomposed body fished out of the water. One relative claimed to have examined the ill-fated boat, and did not see any marks that would have suggested that it struck an object at high speed causing it to capsize.
The relative also noted, that the engine that was fitted to the boat at the time of the accident was recovered, and that the engine did not require any servicing before being put into use after the accident.
Blair’s relatives claimed that they were led to search downstream for the body, whereas the body was found in the upper stream. They feel that there were deliberate attempts to throw them off. Further, the relative is contending that while the incident was reported to have occurred at a certain time, the autopsy report is saying that death occurred earlier, and that death was due to affixation, drowning, and blunt trauma to the back of the head. There were visible marks of violence on the body, suggesting that there was a struggle before Blair went into the water.
According to two relatives who were members of the team that recovered the body, one with a medical background and the other with military training and experience, both of whom claimed to have witnessed postmortem of drowned persons before, there was evidence on the body to suggest that there was an attempt to strangle the young man.
They conceded that he took his last breath while in the water according to the autopsy. They also claim that his right arm was broken.
Relatives are asking, how did the deceased sustain the injury resulting in blunt trauma to the back of the head? They are also contending that had the deceased sustained the injuries after being thrown from the boat following the collision reported, he would have been hardly able to swim as reported. Additionally, relatives want to know why no relative was allowed to witness the post mortem which was done in Georgetown? They claimed that they made such request, but were told that there has been a change to the regulations.
There is therefore need for answers to a number of questions, and such answers can only be forthcoming after a thorough investigation.
The police arrested the three survivors from the incident, but they are out on station bail. No charges have been laid.
Blair is survived by his father, one brother and two sisters. He served in the Guyana Defence Force for six years before leaving to take up a position as a security guard with Ramnarine Mining Company in the Interior.
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