The same trench where he drowned

micevan1l6

HOGSTYE VILLAGE, CORENTYNE – A 26-year old rice farmer, Philbert Fraser, also known as ‘Black Boy’ of Hogstye Village, Corentyne lost his life at ‘Bashmins’ yesterday Sunday. His family is puzzled about how he really met his end.The man’s sister, Kim Rambarose was among the first to arrive on the scene.Philbert Fraser“When I reach there, they had he on the dam lying down dead. My son had called me and tell me, ‘Mummy run and come, ‘Black Boy’ dead’. I asked him how and he said he drowned in the trench.”According to her, about five persons were with him when he met his demise.“They said they didn’t know that he drowned. They say they thought he gone home. They all went to bathe and when they finished bathing they go and play ball. After they didn’t see him go to play ball with them, they thought he smart them and gone home. So they turn and say let we take a last bathe and go home. One of them while taking the last bathe turn and feel a hand while swimming.”It was then the discovery was made.“The boy say, “Wha! This is a hand!’ And they decided to lift the thing they feel and then they discovered it was my brother. They immediately called home by me and start to holler, ‘Black Boy’ dead! I ask how and they say he drowned, ’Run! Run! Come!”Kim Rambarose said her brother appeared to be asleep.“I touched him. I hold his hand and his tummy but he didn’t respond so I wondering if is sleeping he sleeping. I left him and called the police at Whim (Police Station). They come and check the body and called the funeral parlour and they put him in the hearse and carried him to Port Mourant Hospital.” That’s where he was pronounced dead.She said she does not want to make accusations without first knowing the facts and as such is in no position to assume her brother could have been murdered. What bothers her though is the fact that Philbert Fraser was a strong swimmer and the trench is not all deep.“In the middle a bit deep but the corner is shallow. He could swim from since he was small. I studying what happened. He is a strong person. Today he sit down playing with the phone and I told him, ‘You sit down, come and nail this thing for me.”Kim Rambarose said their mother suffered a stroke in March 2009 and is confined to a wheelchair.“She holler and say, ‘Black Boy’ come home back.’ I can’t say if is foul play or what transpired there. You ain’t seeing no marks at all. You can’t say anything until the doctor post mortem him.”She said that her brother had no known enemies and was very close to the friends who accompanied him for his final splash.“The same trench where he drowned, an alligator bite a boy sometime ago and the boy still in wheelchair till now. My brother had no marks on his body so I know he was not bitten by anything.”Another sister, Audrey Fraser, who lives across the street called the incident an unforgettable one. “There is a place at Alness Village they normally call it ‘Bashmins’. It’s a trench the water is not deep. They were bathing there and we receive the message that he drowned. I haven’t even seen him as yet. Before he went there, he just finished repairing his tractor and he and his friends were going to wash off the oil and grease from their skin.”Ms. Fraser described him as a hard worker and one dedicated to his family. She received the message just after 14:00 hours yesterday. The man resided with his mother, 66-year old Rita Bindah Fraser, who is sick.“He is a jovial person. He was never married and has no children. He was very dedicated to his job.” According to her, only recently he harvested several acres of paddy.