Two more sugar workers missing, feared dead

police, GUYSUCO launch massive search

 

Police have launched a massive search in the backlands of the Lower East Coast Demerara for two sugar workers who disappeared early yesterday morning.

Police and relatives believe that Hardat called Joegee, 53, of Narine Street, Annandale and his colleague Sukhram Dhani, called Sticka, of 270 Non Pareil were forcefully removed from their guard hut in the Buxton/Annandale backlands.

According to sugar workers, the two men who were employed as watchmen were last seen around 05:00hrs yesterday morning by employees who were on their way to work.

 

As news of their disappearance spread two truckloads of police ranks went to the area and carried out searches.

However, they were only able to recover the men's bicycles, their lunch bags and a few pieces of personal belongings.

The men's hut was not disturbed and, according to reports, their mosquito net was still intact. There were also signs that the men were dragged along the ground from their location.

The men's disappearance brings back memories of a similar fate meted out to two other sugar workers, Maikhram Sawh and Sampersaud Taranauth, who disappeared on May 21 while they were clearing a canal in the same area.

Their bodies have not yet been recovered, despite a massive ‘cleansing' of the Buxton backlands by the army and police.

News of Hardat‘s and Dhani's disappearance has left relatives feeling hopeless.

Hardat's daughter-in-law, Aruna, told this newspaper that he left home around 14:00hrs on Friday to go to work, something he has been doing for the past 30 years.

When Hardat did not return home yesterday morning as is customary, relatives became worried.

According to Aruna, the missing man's brother, who also works in the sugar industry, went to his home and informed relatives that he was missing.

“His brother told us that they found his bicycle and his bag. The netting was just as he had left it,” Hardat's daughter-in-law told Kaieteur News.

Hardat's neighbours were reluctant to place their confidence in the police to find the missing men.

“Man, dem a got roadblock ah road, dem nah know wha a go on ah back deh,” one neighbour remarked.

GUYSUCO had beefed up security in the backlands since the disappearance of the sugar workers in May.

Another neighbour, who said he was in the backlands when the police came to carry out a search, was not too pleased with the way the security forces were carrying out the operation.

“De police deh in deh and dem nah do nothing. We ah show dem whey dey drag de men and dem ah tell we fuh go and search.

Dem with dem big gun just deh in dem vehicle ah sit down,” the angry neighbour said.

He said from all appearances one of the missing men was hauled away without his clothes. “He clothes dem still lef deh,” the neighbour added.

Hardat's wife, who is in Canada , was informed about his disappearance and, according to family members, she has indicated that she will not return to Guyana .

“I don't have any hope of him returning because, since de two people disappear, dem nah find dem back,” said Hardat's daughter-in-law.

The missing man has two grown children.

Padmawattie Singh, the wife of Sukhram Dhani, told this newspaper that she received news of his disappearance from GUYSUCO officials yesterday morning.

“Yesterday morning we deh ah look out fuh he. We seh he go come home. Den some people come fuh find out if he come home.

Me ask dem wha happen and dem nah tell me. Ah next set come and tell me dat he and he partner disappear,” the mother of three told this newspaper.

However, unlike Hardat's relatives, she has not given up hope of seeing her husband alive again.

“I feel worried because de two other men disappear but I still feel dat he gon come home,” Padmattie Singh said.

Up to late yesterday neither the police nor GUYSUCO had issued a statement.

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Sunday, September 25, 2005