A FORMER prisoner who claims he lost his vision in both eyes when the police discharged pellets in the prison yard on March 4, Wednesday picketed the Ministry of the Presidency.Davendra Persaud, called “Eon,” told the Guyana Chronicle that he had clear vision until the morning of March 4, when the police fired the pellets, even after he, along with other prisoners, had exited the Capital C dormitory to save themselves from the effects of tear gas.
Persaud marched with his family in front of the office of President David Granger for hours Wednesday, crying for help as he said his family is trying to raise US$3,500 for eye surgery in Trinidad and Tobago.
Persaud, 27, who hails from Rosehall, Corentyne, said although his needs extend beyond regaining his sight, he would be satisfied if he could only see again.
“I just need my eye mom. I would just love to have my eye. If I get my eye I would get to help myself. I’m a hustler yuh know mom. My mother does do business, since I lil [small] me mother just grow me up, she doing business.”
Persaud said his mom, Anika Mangal, is a single parent, with him being the eldest of seven children, and it is financially and otherwise challenging to secure funding for his surgery which was recommended by the Georgetown Hospital.
Removing the pellet from behind his eye through a surgical procedure he said, should cause him to regain his vision in his right eye.
Persaud, who was committed to stand trial for rape at the High Court, was placed on $150,000 bail over a year ago but his family could not afford the surety.
He was in Capital C, located just below the infamous Capital A dormitory, when a riot broke out again at the jail the day after 17 prisoners died in a fire of protest.