Latest update April 1st, 2025 5:37 PM
Presidential Advisor’s driver dies after motorcycle accident
A former Guyana Defence Force soldier, employed as driver for retired Brigadier Edward Collins, Advisor to President David Granger, is now dead after he was struck off his motorcycle by a motor car.
Dead: Clifford Crandon
Clifford Crandon, 43, of Number Nine Village, West Coast Berbice, left his home around 4 o’clock Monday afternoon en route to Georgetown, to be properly rested overnight, so that he could adequately discharge his duties as a driver on Tuesday morning.
According to his wife of 15 years, the dedicated Clifford, told her that he was leaving at that time so that he could be properly rested since he was required to be at work early on Tuesday morning. He did not get far. His journey came to an end in Bush Lot, less than ten miles from home.
A grieving Emelda Crandon, related that she was called at around 16:45 hours by a close friend who told her that they needed to go see a friend who was at the Fort Wellington Hospital, and that the friend wanted to see her.
She recalled that when she got to the hospital, she discovered that her husband was rushed to the hospital after he was struck off his motor cycle. At the Fort Wellington Hospital, Mr. Crandon had x-ray done, and he was diagnosed as having suffered injury to the spine. The patient after initial treatment at the Fort Wellington Hospital was referred to the New Amsterdam Hospital. From the time Mrs. Crandon arrived at the bedside of her husband, he kept telling her that he was going to survive his injuries and that he will be fine.
The injured Crandon arrived at the New Amsterdam Hospital around 17:30 hours. There he was quite alert and was able to provide the relevant information to medical personnel, and he continued his effort at reassuring his wife that he was going to survive his injuries. However, Mr. Crandon expired at around 21:00 hours.
According to Mrs Crandon, the general attitude of the medical staff left much to be desired. In her estimation the medical personnel seemed not to have classified her husband’s condition as critical. After running initial checks, according to Mrs. Crandon, one medical staff member told her that Mr. Crandon was a strong man, and that he had sufficient blood.
Mrs. Crandon reported that she had people on stand-by to donate blood should the need arise, but was made to believe that blood donation was not going to be necessary. Meanwhile, Mr. Crandon continued to lose blood. Nothing was done to staunch the bleeding. Mrs. Crandon said that not being satisfied that the persons on duty were going about their duty with due diligence, she was forced to make contact with some persons via telephone. This caused everyone to start moving with some alacrity.
She subsequently was advised that her husband would have to undergo surgery. She was in the process of completing the requisite forms when her husband went into cardiac arrest. The authorities then told her that her husband needed blood, but none was available. The medical staff were able to resuscitate Mr. Crandon, but he died shortly afterwards around 21:00 hours.
According to Mrs Crandon, he was conscious and alert up about the last moment when he started having “cold sweat”. He was bleeding to death.
Mrs. Crandon, early Tuesday morning, was called upon to witness the post mortem which stated that Mr. Crandon sustained a broken pelvis, and that he died from haemorrhage.
Clifford Crandon leaves to mourn, Emelda, his wife of 15 years, with four children aged 13, 12, nine and four.
The deceased had served the Guyana Defence Force for over 24 years before retirement about three years ago, and at the time he met his demise he was employed as a driver for former Guyana Defence Force Chief-of-staff Brigadier Edward Collins, who is now a special advisor to President David Granger.
The police have since detained the driver, and the car which was reported to have been involved in the accident. Investigations are on-going.
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