–says wife of Bartica Massacre victim

Nine years after the Bartica Massacre, Debra Gilkes is calling on young people who are involved in criminal activities to lay down their guns.
“Put down the guns, turn to Christ, educate yourself and get a job,” was the simple advice offered by Gilkes. Gilkes’ husband was among the 12 persons who were gunned down on the night of February 17, 2008 – when a criminal gang led by the now deceased Rondel “Fineman” Rawlins, launched a vicious attack on the mining town. Edwin Gilkes was a security guard working at Banks DIH when his life was cut short.

Nine years after the horrendous act was committed, Gilkes said she is satisfied that justice has been served. “If you do the crime, then you must do the time,” she posited.
Earlier this month, Justice Roxanne George SC, sentenced Mark Royden Williams and Dennis Williams to death by hanging following two months of trial.
Mark Royden Williams called “Smallie” was sentenced to death for eight counts of murder while Dennis “Anaconda” Williams received the death sentence after the jury found him guilty of seven counts of murder. However, Roger Simon called “Goat Man” has been freed of involvement in the Bartica Massacre. More than 30 witnesses’ testified at the trial.

On Friday, a memorial ceremony will be held at First Avenue Bartica in memory of the nine civilians and three police officers who were gunned down by the heavily armed men. Those who lost their lives were Bartica residents Edwin Gilkes, Dexter Adrian and Irving Ferreira; policemen stationed at the Bartica Police Station, Lance Corporal Zaheer Zakir, Constables Shane Fredericks and Ron Osborne; Deonarine Singh of Wakenaam; Ronald Gomes of Kuru Kururu; Ashraf Khan of Middlesex, Essequibo; Abdool Yasseen, Errol Thomas of Tuschen, East Bank Essequibo and Baldeo Singh of Montrose, East Coast Demerara.

During the ceremony remarks will be delivered by Region Seven Regional Chairman, Gordon Bradford, the Mayor Gifford Marshall and Commander ‘F’ Division, Senior Superintendent Ravindradat Budram, in addition to the relatives of the deceased.
Head of Friday’s ceremony, the Mayor told this newspaper that while the “trauma, emotions and pain are still alive nine years after, residents are comforted by the fact that justice has been served.

“While it remains a sad day in our history, we now have peace of mind, knowing that justice has been served,” Marshall posited. The Town Clerk, Phebe Wallerson, said “those bandits didn’t just take lives; they took our peace of mind, and though it took nine years, we are happy that justice has been served.”
The memorial ceremony is expected to be attended by local officials, school children and the relatives of the deceased.

Rawlins, according to the police, led the gang on the rampage in Bartica as well as the one that converged on Lusignan on January 26, 2008. Rawlins was killed during a joint services operation on August 28, 2008. With his death and the arrest and prosecution of the five suspects, it appeared as though the police had closed their investigation.