On December 6, 2023, our nation was thrown into a state of shock when the devastated news rocked, not only Guyana, but the entire world when an aircraft crashed, approximate to the Venezuela border, which claimed the lives of five healthy young servicemen from the Guyana Defense Force.
August 6, 2024, will mark eight months since this unfortunate accident and many still look forward to frequent updates in the investigation, in order to bring closure to this situation. My only suspicion is that the Government is waiting on December 6, 2024 to remember the “fallen heroes,” as they have been described by the regime, and host commemorative celebrations.
It was sad to have learnt the impact Lieutenant Colonel Charles’ death had on his family, which eventually led to the passing of his mother some months after.
The families of the late Retired Brigadier Gary Beaton, Lieutenant Colonel Michael Charles, Lieutenant Colonel Michael Shahoud, Lieutenant Colonel Sean Welcome and Staff Sergeant Jason Khan are still grieving, silently. While this is so, the people of Guyana need to know what would have caused that tragic accident on December 6, 2023?
The nation was informed that they were on official duty heading to the border to check on soldiers who were deployed there, during the many threats by Venezuelan President, Mr. Nicolás Maduro on the 1899 Geneva Award on the boundary Controversy between Guyana and Venezuela.
Minister Bishop Juan Edghill reported in December 2023 that a senior officer at GCAA was appointed to investigate the accident. The nation was also informed that the Guyana Police Force will also aid in the investigation. However, in February 2024, Mr. Jagdeo informed the public during his press conference, Army helicopter crash: ‘Read out’ of black box next month (Newsroom, February 22, 2024). I can only assume that Mr. Jagdeo at that time was referring to the month of March 2024. Now, we are in the month of July 2024 and Mr. Jagdeo has failed at all his subsequent press conferences to provide an update on the investigation and whether the black box came back and what are its findings.
According to World aviation.com, they have defined “The black box, also known as flight recorder, is a device designed to capture and store important data during flight. Inside, there are different electronic components, recording systems and sensors that register all kind of technical information about the aircraft’s performance such as speed, altitude, position, control settings, vibrations as well as cockpit conversations and sounds.”
The site has also provided information that the black box, allows investigators to reconstruct the events prior to an accident and determine its causes, so preventive measures that help to improve safety in the aeronautical industry can be taken.
Therefore, when I analyse the definition above and what has been reported by Mr. Jagdeo, I have drawn the conclusion that the delay of the investigation by authority seems to be deliberate, since I believe they have a preview of the information and would not want to make it public. I guess, it will reveal many of speculations raised by members of the public.
As a concerned citizen and a representative at the National Level, I therefore call on Mr. Jagdeo, who in my view seem to be the “chief spokesperson or the Secretary to Cabinet” to provide Guyanese with an update on the tragic accident. Guyana can ill afford for this matter to be placed under the rug. As a nation we will be doing an injustice to the grieving families.
I would like to put the following questions to Mr. Jagdeo, who I assume will provide information at his next press conference:
- Has the black box returned to Guyana?
- If yes, which competent authority has the information and why the reluctance to release the information?
- When will an independent investigation commence?
- Which authority will have oversight of the investigation?
- Why has the Government failed to keep the population abreast of the investigation, since this issue is a national one?
- What mechanisms are in place for post traumatic disorder faced by family members of the fallen servicemen?
Jagdeo and his team should know that no amount of naming Highways, a section of the University or other intended places after the names of these fallen servicemen, will bring satisfaction to families and Guyanese. What is essential, is an independent investigation, and that is what all Guyanese should be doing.
I pray the souls of the fallen servicemen continue to rest in eternal peace.
Hon Annette Ferguson MP
