Young Green Party hopeful drowns at Rabacca beach

Five months after he created a stir by announcing that he was contesting the December 2010 General Elections, Rodassa Simon, of Langley Park/Fair Hall, died tragically last Sunday{{more}} when he drowned in the waters at Jip beach, Rabacca.

Reports claim that the 19-year-old and his friends were at the beach just after 9 a.m. having fun and he was even entertaining them with his “back flips” when he encountered difficulties with a sudden change of the tide.

Recalling the frightful drama, Antonia Simon, Rodassa’s cousin, told SEARCHLIGHT on Sunday afternoon: “They were going out and out and a big swell came. Miriam [Hillocks] like she was afraid, so she came out to land and Rodassa held on to Joshua’s [Hillocks] foot and started shouting ‘help, help,’ that’s when he dropped over the sand bank; that’s where the water suck you in.”

“Joshua kicked off his hand and Rodassa start going back and back. He was still calling ‘help, help,’ but we thought he was joking because he could swim good. A swell came and carry him down and he come up back and a big swell came and sink him down and we did not see him again,” Antonia said.

She said that she ran to the shore and started to cry, while some of her friends laughed.

“We thought it was a joke thing, but I wasn’t so sure so I was crying,” the teenager lamented, adding when her friends did not see Rodassa surface after a while, they all began to cry.

Miriam told SEARCHLIGHT that she is feeling “sad” as well as “bad” because she has lost a great friend.

Susan Simon, Rodassa’s mother, expressed that she was still in a state of shock when SEARCHLIGHT contacted her on Monday, April 18.

She said that she was at her Fair Hall home when she received the shocking news.

Susan, who contested the December 2010 General Elections on a Green Party ticket, said that she last spoke to her son on Friday, April 15, when he visited her home. She said that he told her he could not stay long because he wanted to visit their farm at Georgetown early the following day.

“I turned to him and I said, ‘Boy, Monday is my birthday, what you giving me me for my birthday?’ And he start to beat me on top of my shoulder and said, ‘Me have nuff love for you, nuff love, nuff love, nuff love me have for you.’ And he would not stop and I took his hand off me and I said, ‘Boy you want to kill me?’” said Susan.

She said that she is praying that Rodassa’s body is found to bring some closure to the tragedy.

Verone Hillocks said that while she is sad over the passing of Rodassa, she is happy because her 12-year-old son, Joshua, could have easily lost his life.

“I am sad because Rodassa is a cool child; everyday he will find something to do.I really hope his body shows up so that he could be buried,” said Verone.

She said that she had sent her children to Rabacca to wash, but they joined a group of friends and went to Jip.

A police report stated that Rodassa’s death is being investigated. The report added that the SVG Coast Guard was summoned, but the young man’s body was not found.

In November last year, Rodassa was presented to the public by the St.Vincent and the Grenadines Green Party as its candidate for West St.George, even though the Party was aware that he was only 18-years-old.

His dream of contesting the general elections was shortlived, as he was not allowed to be a candidate on the grounds that one has to be 21 years or over to be elected to Parliament in in St.Vincent and the Grenadines.