By Shirley Thomas
TWENTY-NINE-YEAR-OLD Dexter Beckles, an employee of the Mayor and City Council (MCC) was last Thursday viciously chopped for attempting to make peace between two men who had an argument.He is now warded at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) nursing chops to his right hand and a bludgeoned head.
Beckles recalled that he was part of a workforce desilting drains in the vicinity of Ashmin’s on High Street when, around 10:00 hrs an argument erupted between one of his MCC workmates and a man who apparently lives somewhere in the neighbourhood.
He tried making peace between the two men, whereupon, the stranger walked away; entered a nearby building and re-emerged soon after.
Beckles said he was walking towards a juice box when he heard his friend shout: “Look out!”
At that instant he felt a blow to his head and realised that he was being ‘broadsided.’ Beckles said he tried blocking his head with his hand, but the man proceeded to viciously chop him on the hand as well.
Bleeding, and in pain, he collapsed and was taken to the GPHC by his workmates. The man ‘bolted, but was hotly pursued by some of the MCC workers who turned him over to the Brickdam Police.
Beckles said the police advised that he should go to the station to identify him, so they could proceed to charge the man. However, Beckles was already admitted to hospital, rendering that impossible.
A few hours later, he said, his mother and wife went to the Brickdam Police Station to make enquiries about progress being made into the matter.
However, Beckles said, the police were reported to have told them that the man had escaped their custody. To date he remains at large.
Meanwhile, the victim remains hospitalised with 15 stitches to his right hand with steel implanted and nerve injuries. Three of his fingers have since regained life, but two others are still without sensation.