Mother, daughter killed in Homestretch Avenue crash laid to rest at Sandvoort
TEACHERS travelled from across the country to Berbice, where they paid their last respect to Coretta Amanda Benjamin, 40, Headmistress of the J.E. Burnham Primary School, and her only child Crizel De Keshie Paul, 8, who were both victims of the recent horrific accident which occurred on Homestretch Avenue, which claimed three other lives.
They joined the scores of family and friends who had gathered at the historic Mission Chapel Congregational Church, where Guyana Teachers Union (GTU) President Mr. Colin Bynoe emphasized on the dedication and commitment of the departed educator.
Benjamin, a passenger of minibus BMM 9888, was taking her daughter Crizel, along with a US-based niece Renesha Benjamin Moore and 15-year-old Queens College Student Delecia Paul, to buy ice cream to celebrate Crizel’s eight birthday  when the vehicle suffered a ‘blow out’, hurling several of its passengers onto the roadway, before overturning.
In a brief tribute, Bynoe reminded the gathering of the rich legacy of Benjamin who was dedicated and committed, rising from an assistant teacher to a University graduate.
In her eulogy, a relative, Carla Benjamin, recounted Corette’s years after she was denied admission at one of the nursing schools even though she was successful at the General Nursing Council admission examination.
Not being daunted, she was thereafter employed at age 16, at the Precious Jewels Nursery School, before attending the Cyril Potter College of Education and subsequently the University of Guyana.
In  2006, following a promotion as Head Mistress, she moved to the J.E. Burnham Primary School, and was expected to take up the reign of St. Gabriel’s Nursery at the commencement of the new school year in September.
Apart from teaching at the nursery school, Benjamin tutored Early Childhood education at the Institute of Distance and Continuing Education.
Her only child, Crizel, had previously attended Stella Maris Nursery and North Georgetown Primary. She was also a member of the National School of Dance.
Meanwhile, prior to the commencement of the mid-afternoon service, several persons including the District Education Officer of Georgetown, and colleagues in the teaching and education profession paid glowing tributes to the departed souls.
The thanksgiving service was punctuated by spiritual songs and scriptural readings while the sermon was conducted by Rev Tyrone Sulker, who reminded the congregation of their eternal hope.
The cortege which had previously stopped for a brief viewing at Smith Memorial Congregation Church on Brickdam, Georgetown, prior to the New Amsterdam based service, concluded its journey at Sandvoort Cemetery where the bodies were interned in separate coffins.