Seven Success Squatters Injured by Tree; One Critical

Seven female Success, East Coast Demerara (ECD) squatters have been injured by a tree which fell on them Friday. One of the women who is critically injured was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) by police while the others left in public transportation for the said hospital.

The Guyana Police Force (GPF) in a statement said that at around 14:10 hours, at the first flooded field at Success, a tree located on a dam which runs East to West fell injuring a group of squatters who were sitting nearby.

The police could not provide details on the identities of the women but stated that no work was ongoing by the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) in that area at the time of the incident.

The last report coming out of the Success area, where numerous persons have been squatting since earlier this year, was that several squatters were detained following a standoff with the police.

A large portion of the squatting area is now flooded with water as the GuySuCo has said the land must be rid of pests and vegetation ahead of the Corporation’s plan to restart operations at the Enmore Sugar Factory in 2022.

Many of the squatters, who occupied the land in make-shift houses with small children told Village Voice Guyana that they have nowhere else to go. Some of the squatters, fearful of the floodwaters and high police presence have left the area.

This is a developing story and Village Voice Guyana will update you as information becomes available.