One dead, several injured as contractor rams pick-up into crowd

Jan 30, 2023 News

Kaieteur News – A businessman from East Bank Berbice is currently in police custody following an accident that saw him driving into several persons that were on a street in East Canje, Berbice.

Somdatt Indal called ‘Fats’

That accident resulted in the death of a man and injuries to three others including an 11-year-old.

Dead is Somdatt Indal called ‘Fats’, of Canefield Settlement, East Canje. The injured persons have been identified as Dion Kistnen, 11, Daniel Sakichand, 21 and Leon Revon, 34.  The driver of the vehicle, a Toyota Tacoma has been identified as Shazad Sattaur, a contractor and owner of N&S Engineering Services in East Canje Berbice.

Regional Commander, Shivpersaud Bacchus confirmed that Sattaur who initially drove off after ploughing through the residents, turned himself over to the police yesterday. Police said that Sattaur who was speeding through the Workshop Street, Canefield, East Canje Berbice was heading in the direction where several persons were gathered on the street. He was driving his Toyota Tacoma at the time. Sattaur drove allegedly into the gathering hitting 11-year-old Kistnen, Reis, Sackichand along with Indal (deceased). They were flung several feet in the air before falling on the road surface.

Shazad Sattaur, a contractor and owner of N&S Engineering Services in East Canje Berbice.

They were all picked up and taken to the New Amsterdam Hospital. Indal was pronounced dead on arrival while the others were admitted in a stable condition. Meanwhile, Kaieteur News understands that the cousin of Sattaur (driver) was involved in an argument at the location of accident. The cousin reportedly summoned Sattaur to the scene when the accident occurred. A video recording showed Sattaur driving off after hitting the people. Sattaur was recently in the news for not completing works on the El Dorado to Moleson Creek stretch of road. His contract was terminated by the Government. The contracting firm was required to construct 1km of road from third bridge at Eldorado, Moleson Creek, Upper Corentyne, Region Six. However, after paying the contractor a mobilisation advance of $22M, the contractor failed to start works eight months after.

Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill during a tour of road works in Berbice recently had stumbled on the issue while engaging the Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) and residents. It was then he found out that the works on the road that lead to El Dorado has not started even though the contract was awarded last year. In a video on the Ministry’s Facebook page, Edghill was heard saying: “This is Friday the 13^th, 2023, a contract for the continuation of this road getting into El Dorado which is where we are supposed to be opening up farmlands and to make life easier for the people, N&S Contracting received that contract and received a mobilisation advance of $22 M and I am here at the site, it’s now 8:30, I asked to meet the contractor and he hasn’t arrived and none of his workmen is here, there is no visible sign of work…”  A visibly annoyed Edghill subsequently instructed his Permanent Secretary to immediately terminate the contract.

• Berbice, deceased, Dion Kistnen, East Canje, Leon Revon