PARIKA businessman Feroze Barakat, of Barakat’s River Transportation Service, had made the available to the family of deceased Eric Forde, the employee who drowned at the Parika wharf on Monday afternoon, over $700,000 in cash and a cheque. Sources close to the Forde family told this newspaper that businessman Barakat visited the Met-en – Meerzorg family and handed over the cash and cheque before leaving on a business trip to Canada.
Barakat, who had indicated to this newspaper that he would be making a financial contribution to the family,  since the loss of their son and one of his most trusted employees, who died on Monday afternoon at his Parika business place.
When contacted, the mother of the deceased confirmed that the businessman had indeed delivered the money and promised to return in ten days’ time to conclude a compensation agreement.
Desiree Forde also indicated that Eric was the bread winner of the family, as his father, a former cane-cutter, is ailing.