Georgetown: A talented young lad who was slated to perform in the 50th Independence Anniversary Flag Raising Ceremony lost his life in a freak accident after hopping off the back of a truck and was crushed in the process Tuesday evening at North Ruimveldt Multilateral School, Mandela Avenue.
Dead is 14-year old Kivon Scipio, a former Richard Ishmael Student of Lot 6 Railway Road Kitty.
Reports revealed that the truck was transporting the steel pans back to the school and Scipio was among the steel pan players who had just wrapped up rehearsals at the D’urban Park when they returned to North Ruimveldt Multilateral School. When they began to unpack, the teen then hopped out the truck and fell down when the other students in the vehicle noticed and began to hit the side of the truck to alert the driver who would usually reverse when that signal was given.
Even as investigations into the circumstances surrounding the accident are being conducted, the Government of Guyana expresses deep sorrow and heartfelt condolences to the family of Kevin Scipio.
“It is with deep regret that His Excellency President David Granger and the Government of Guyana learned of the tragic passing of Richard Ishmael Student and member of the Pan Wave Steel Orchestra, 14-year old Kevin Scipio,” the Ministry of Presidency stated in a press release “ The President, Government and all Guyanese mourn his passing, which comes at a time when the Nation is celebrating our 50th Independence Anniversary. The Government will immediately make available counselling services, through the Ministry of Social Protection for members of the band and the family of the late Kevin Scipio.”
The Ministry of Presidency also expressed condolence to the members of the Pan Wave Steel Orchestra and the staff and students of the Richard Ishmael Secondary School.
No doubt, young Kevin was looking forward to his opportunity to participate with his peers in this significant observance.
According to mother of the teen, Alieka Davis, her son has been playing pan for the past two years and began to practice more often as the independence celebrations approached.
“His instructor called me after 10:00PM Tuesday night, I then rushed down to the hospital but he was already gone,” she noted.
Ms. Davis explained that she was told “when they were finished practicing they went to North Ruimveldt Multilateral School, he was on the truck with some other kids and he came off, then the truck started to move and he decided to jump on back, then he slip and fell so when other students hit the truck to stop the driver thought they were hitting the truck for him to back up to take off the load because they would usually do that, and he was mashed.”
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