MINISTER within the Ministry of Natural Resources, Simona Broomes, on Wednesday paid a visit to the Charlestown home where the children of the late Reona Payne reside with their father.

Reona Payne was on March 31 2018, brutally murdered by her partner, ex-GDF Officer, Orwain Sandy. The minister expressed that in these violent relationships, the children are the ones who are most affected. As such, she thought it fit to grace their lives with her presence and comfort their hearts with words of encouragement.

Minister Broomes sat with the children aged 14 (girl), 13 (boy) and six (girl) to assess how they have been coping with the loss of their mother and gave them comfort.

She told the 14-year-old girl that she is tasked with the great responsibility of setting the example for her younger siblings, especially her six-year-old sister who may be looking up to her. Minister Broomes admitted to the child that it will be tough and challenging, but she must not let the situation of her parents determine her outcome. She urged the young girl to love and believe in herself, take education seriously and set goals and work towards achieving them, so as to be a positive influence.

The shy 14-year-old opened up to Minister Broomes and admitted that she has not been coping too well and this has affected her performance. The humane minister extended her number, and encouraged the teen to contact her at any time for any assistance they may need. She promised to try to fill the gap of the absent mother and the father was urged to continue being strong for them.

Father of the children, Richard Alexander Bevaney, who is partially disabled, explained that

the children were in his custody since the split between him and Payne. However, she and Sandy had still been actively involved in their lives. Sandy, Bevaney said, most times would pick the children up from his home, drop them off to school and return them after school. The pain that the tragedy caused upon the family is indescribable .

“Words can’t really describe how we feel as a family. The children started acting strange. I had to cope with a lot of trying times with the children. One ran away from school, another was fighting in school, doing all sorts of weird stuff during this period. And the most challenging thing is having to bear the burden all by myself. We aren’t a group that believe in asking everyone for help, but we believe that God will provide and he has been doing a wonderful job, and we make the best of what God provides for us,” Richard said.

He added that “the church” made an intervention in their lives and since the church stepped in, they have been guiding and covering them, and getting them all back on track. And he is trusting God that they move forward and continue to do the right thing and focus on their education at this point in time.

In his advice to abusive men, Richard said that “Women have a tendency to lash out sometimes. They have different ways in expressing themselves. But a man needs to know and understand these expressions and not resort to violence.”

From September, the children will be attending North Georgetown Primary and Richard Ishmael Secondary, so they all can be in close proximity to their home and to each other.
In addition to the comforting words, Minister Broomes provided the children with back-to-school items for the new school term.