News Room Guyana Reports : The close-knit Indigenous community of St Cuthbert’s Mission was plunged into deep mourning on Sunday after two teenagers died in separate incidents just hours apart, leaving families, friends, and residents struggling to comprehend the losses.
The community awoke at around 5:00 hours to the devastating news that 18-year-old Raj Henry had died by suicide. The discovery was made at his family’s home by relatives, including cousins. Villagers noted that a social gathering had taken place during the night.
Hours later, grief deepened further when word reached the community that 19-year-old Mark Ferreira had died by drowning at a gold mining backdam in the Cuyuni area of Region Seven.
Toshao Alvoro Simon described the day as one of the most difficult he has faced in his role as a community leader, reaching out to residents with a message of solidarity and reflection.
“As night falls on one of the saddest days in our community, let us pray for all those persons affected by these passing. Let’s remember their parents, siblings and other family members who is going to bed with this heartbreak that cannot be explained,” he said.
Reflecting on the promise that both young men carried, the Toshao said their dreams would never be forgotten.
“Mark and Raj, two young guys about to start their adulthood, I’m sure had great plans for their future. We will never see them accomplish those dreams. But we will remember them for as long as we are alive.”
Simon called on the entire community to honour the memory of the two teenagers by observing a period of quiet reflection for the remainder of the week, banning loud music and clubbing — a measure he said would be enforced with support from police stationed in the community.
Authorities are expected to conduct investigations into both incidents.
