A six-year-old boy was killed Wednesday morning when a goalpost collapsed on him while he was training for school sports at the Plaisance Community Centre Ground, East Coast Demerara.
The pupil, Glensean Skeete, attended the St Paul’s Primary School, also located in Plaisance. At the Georgetown Public Hospital, where the child succumbed to his injuries, a wailing, pregnant mother, Tracey Skeete, tried desperately to come to terms with the news of the death of her son. Her husband Glenroy was equally inconsolable. The accident occurred around 10:00hrs.

In a message of condolence, President David Granger said he is deeply saddened to learn of the death of Skeete. The message said that the Government of Guyana, through the Ministry of Education will be working to provide psychosocial and other support to the family, teachers and students of St. Paul’s Primary in their time of grief. “President Granger and the Government of Guyana extend sincere condolences to his parents, Mr. Glenroy and Mrs. Stacy Skeete, his siblings, other relatives, friends, teachers and students of the St. Paul’s Primary,” the message added.

Investigations revealed that the school was practising for its Annual Inter-House Sports and the child’s mother, Tracy Skeete, had just moments before dropped him and two other siblings off to school. However, their parents had earlier cautioned them that they should not get involved in running for the sports. Glensean had signalled that he had understood that instruction and from all indications, repeatedly made it clear that he was not going to run.

However, a male teacher was said to have called on him to run and when he communicated his parents’ instruction, the teacher reportedly insisted, warning that he would whip him if he did not run, and so he was forced to join the others who were running.
But it was whilst Glensean was standing next to the goalpost awaiting his turn to run that tragedy struck. Eyewitnesses said that other children were playing around the post and a girl attempting to climb it had just come down when the post gave away and fell on Glensean, who was standing nearby. Children gave a graphic account of what transpired after the boy was struck to the ground

But an inspection of the structure by members of the media, showed that the post which was made entirely of four-inch galvanised pipe was planted no deeper than four inches into the ground and was literally “an accident waiting to happen.”
The dead boy’s father, Glenroy, said he was at work when he received a message that his child was injured and was at the hospital. Likewise, his mother also received a message from his grandmother who answered the phone, but was not told that he had died. They rushed down to the GPH. On arrival there, Stacy who is well into her pregnancy, became inconsolable, even as her husband tried desperately, but in vain to keep her calm. One of his concerns was that her continued crying and agitation could affect the unborn child and possibly induce premature labour.
As she wept, Stacy repeatedly uttered: ”My baby, my baby, I can’t live without my baby. He would get up early every morning and pick cherries for me. I just can’t live without him.”

Meanwhile, back at the family’s home, relatives were adamant that the children were even made to enter a ground in the state that it is, for any athletic activity, as is substantiated by photographs taken at the scene. The grass, even though recently cut, after a long while, is still high and the ground is uneven and can even cause others to fracture their ankles, they surmise.
Amidst tears, the child’s mother muttered: “But how could they put people’s children to run on that ground? They are not supposed to carry children there. That ground is not appropriate for running.”

The family is calling for a thorough investigation to be made into the circumstances surrounding the child’s death. The Ministry of Education in a release stated that around 10:00hrs, students of the St Paul’s Primary School located at Plaisance on the East Coast of Demerara in the care of two teachers were practising for their annual inter-house sports at the ground. The ministry said that during this practice session, Skeete in the company of another male student proceeded to swing on a goalpost in the same ground.
“The metal structure [goalpost] subsequently flopped, throwing little Glensean to the ground. According to reports, he sustained head injuries. He was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPHC) where he succumbed to his injuries while receiving medical treatment,” the release added.
The release said the Ministry of Education (MoE) officials visited the hospital, where the mother and teachers were present. It gave the assurance that the MoE will continue to engage the parents of the deceased child, adding that “psychosocial and other support will be provided to the family, teachers and students of St Paul’s Primary during this difficult time.” The MoE offers its condolences to the family and friends of Glensean Skeete and reiterates its support to the family at such a difficult time.