SIXTEEN-YEAR-OLD Kelvin Anthony Fraser, shot by Police last week Monday at Patentia, was buried yesterday following a moving thanksgiving service at the New Life Full Gospel Fellowship Church in the same West Bank Demerara village.
The proceedings were punctuated by hysterical outbursts and fainting of loved ones while others continually prayed that God would give them the strength to bear their loss. Ironically, Kelvin, who had dreams of one day becoming an electrical engineer, was due to write an initial test yesterday, for selection to undergo training at Kuru Kuru College, along Soesdyke/Linden Highway.
Some mourners wondered whether that could have been the reason why what appeared to be tears kept flowing from the eyes as his body was being viewed at his parents’ residence.
As the corpse lay on soft white cotton quilt in the mahogany casket, the dead lad, dressed in a cream suit complemented by sky blue shirt and matching tie, those mourning close up drew attention to the apparent tears that caused them to mourn deeper.
As the 14:00h time for the funeral approached, the close knit countryside village was literally shut down, as all roads led to the church that was packed to capacity and overspilling which left mourners fiercely competing for space in the churchyard and on the roadway.
Not only were they dressed in the traditional funeral colours of black and white but many persons wore red, explaining that it was symbolic of their solidarity with the slain teenager, his family and friends, taking into consideration how he died.
Inside the church, while waiting to pay their last respects, there was hysteria among some.
Glowing tributes were paid to Kelvin who, at the time of his death was a member of the President’s Youth Award : Republic of Guyana (PYARG), described by his peers, church leaders and others as a wonderful young man, smart, kind, gentle and responsible.
A representative of the Region Three (West Demerara/Essequibo Islands) Department of Education, Ms. Chase, acknowledging the shocking killing said: “Our community, our country has lost a future leader who would have contributed to this nation.”
Officiating Pastor, Apostle Mark Benn, commenting on Fraser’s sudden demise, said it sent shockwaves across the country and, indeed, the entire Patentia.
He recalled, also, that six months ago, Fraser’s grandmother had passed away.
Among others paying tribute were Fraser’s grandfather and other relatives and sympathisers. Even with such large numbers at the funeral service and burial, ranks of the Police Force, who would normally be directing traffic and maintaining crowd control, were noticeably absent.
Prior to the start of the service, there were two separate viewings in the village, the first outside Patentia Secondary School, for the benefit of Patentia Primary and Nursery schools as well and, later at his parents’ home.
But those viewings did precious little to hold back tearful and insistent fellow students who walked in procession behind the hearse, as others converged at his home along with other mourners and sympathisers, waiting, patiently, under tents to view and pay their last respects.
The spontaneous outbursts and wailing, as the casket was opened, persisted as the song ‘How Many More’ was played in the background.
After the religious service, Kelvin Fraser’s remains were taken to Patentia Cemetery for last rites and burial.
The second of four children for his parents, Leslie Kevin and Sharon Fraser, was born on October 27, 1993 and killed on June 7, shot while in the company of other youths waiting to attend a PYARG meeting in the village. He is also survived by two brothers and one sister.