Families brought together by Rock Gutter tragedy

Since the January 12, 2015 Rock Gutter tragedy, which claimed the lives of seven students, the village of Fancy has become closely knit, especially the persons directly affected by the accident.

On Sunday, Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves held a get-together at his Gorse home for the family members and friends of those who died when the minivan they were travelling in went over a cliff in Rock Gutter and plunged into the sea. Survivors of the accident and their family members and friends were also present.

“We always come together and comfort each other as a group. We are on a (social media) chat; we always chat with each other and remember each other, as we are family. Since the accident, we are together each and every day, on the chat…we are together all the time,” said Methaline Alexander, the mother of Annique Alexander, who died in the accident.

Alexander, speaking on Sunday, stressed that since the accident, the Prime Minister has always supported them.

“Well, in my heart, I feel very good because the Prime Minister is always there for us and since the accident he never give up on us and I’m feeling very happy he’s having this little function for us today,” said Alexander.

She said that the get-together helped them to ease the stress as they hold remembrance events.

“It’s only just for the day, because we have to face Monday and Tuesday. He has been there supporting we all the way and we are very grateful for that as parents…financially, in case of if we want anything, he’s always there; we can always call him and he’s there to help us in whatever way we ask him to do for us.”

Another mother, Nelcia Stay, who lost her daughter Chantacia Stay (body not recovered), said that she is happy for the gesture.

“I feel it’s a very good gesture towards us, because for the whole month it had me feeling sad and he kind of, well for me, kind of bring me out of that mood and I think it was very thoughtful of him and his wife to have this get-together just to show his appreciation for us, because he’s one the persons who have always been there for us from the time of the accident,” said Stay.

Today, a remembrance event will be held in Fancy for Racquel Ashton, 18, Jamalie Edwards, 14, Jamal Edwards, 12, Glenroy Michael, 12, and Anique Alexander, 11, whose bodies were recovered from the sea, as well as for Simonique Ballantyne and Chantacia Stay who are still unaccounted for. Fourteen other persons were rescued from the sea in that accident.(LC)