A FORMER University of Guyana valedictorian drowned last Sunday at the “Parika Back”, just two days shy of his 32nd birthday. His family members are contending that all is not adding up in the circumstances surrounding the young man’s death.
Dead is Michael George, a father of two from La Jalousie, West Coast Demerara (WCD), who went to the waterside last Sunday with three other friends for a pre-birthday hang. George is said to have drowned between 16:00 hours and 17:00 hours, after taking off his clothes, walking into the water, and going under.

Condolences have since been pouring in on social media as persons mourned George’s passing, as he was remembered as a bright young mind. George was described as an academic trailblazer, graduating as valedictorian of the West Demerara Secondary School class of 2005, before going on to graduate as valedictorian for the UG class of 2010, where he pursued a Bachelor’s Degree in Chemistry. He graduated with distinction and earned the President’s Medal.

George also has a PhD in Biochemistry Engineering from the University of Alberta and was working as a lecturer at the Texila American University and also taught fifth and Sixth Form classes at the Saraswati Vidya Niketan School.
“He was an awesome person, a very kind hearted, diligent, compassionate person. He was always willing to help, since he returned from Canada he would always be trying to help someone in whatever way. He’s a humble young man,” conveyed George’s brother, Christopher George.

Speaking with Guyana Chronicle, Christopher said that he was at his home in Canal Number Two when he got the call informing him of his brother’s demise. He said news of his brother’s death was a shock to him, as his last conversation with his brother was actually one where he cautioned him against going into the water at the very spot where he died.
Christopher said he had last spoken to his brother last Friday when the subject of drinking came up and his brother mentioned that he frequents the Parika spot with friends since the closure of most hang out spots due to the COVID-19 measures.

FEW DRINKS
“He told me that he would normally go to Parika Back and he and them guys would have a few drinks there; that is when I know about it. I asked him if he normally go in and swim in that water and he says no he don’t swim, he can’t swim,” Christopher said,
He added: “I told him be very careful with that water and when you go there because it’s a lonely place and it’s not some place nice to be going and just be very careful, and that’s the last time I actually spoke to my brother, is a warning I give him before he died.”
Regional Commander, Errol Watts, said that the drowning was reported to the police who have since inspected the body and no marks of violence were evident; however, out of an abundance of caution, the police are awaiting the results of the post mortem before deciding how to proceed with the situation.

NO INDICATION OF FOUL PLAY
“I would not want to preempt anything at this point but we have not seen any indication of foul play. There were not seen any marks of violence and the entire body was checked. Notwithstanding that I want to be very careful so we’re waiting until the PM is done so that a qualified medical pathologist can give us his opinion as to the internal aspects of the body,” Watts related.
The post mortem is scheduled to be performed on the body today.

The commander said according to reports from those present, they searched the water immediately after George was observed to have disappeared and CPR efforts were performed but could not save the young man.

“They said he changed off his clothes down to his underwear, walked into the water but disappeared because the place was deep, they went to search for him but they found him until five-ten minutes after. They tried to perform mouth-to-mouth resuscitation but he did not make it and then they made the report to the police. He didn’t plunge in, I asked them specifically if he plunged in, they said no he walked into the water with his underwear,” Commander Watts explained.
George’s family, however, is not entirely settled with what is being said of the circumstances, and are also awaiting the results of the post mortem to decide if to make an official report with the police about their suspicions.

NOT ADDING UP
“One and one isn’t adding up to two to me here. This thing is killing me,” Christopher expressed.
“I went to the area and saw the area, I mean if you’re on an outing with your friends if you go in that water they would have a knowledge of you being in that water. How can you not see that an individual is drowning? It is very, very suspicious on my part, and I have a lot of questions.”

Christopher said he is finding the circumstances all the more hard to believe as George spoke with his wife shortly before 16:00 hours, and said he was not drunk, and would be home shortly.

“When I got his phone, I checked it, he called his wife at 15:43hrs. He called her at 3:43pm, got a call at 17:00hrs that my brother is dead, that is an hour and 17 minutes after that my brother is dead. Why are you going into the water if you called your wife to tell her you are going to be home shortly,” he questioned.

Saved as: drowning
Caption: Dead: Michael George