By: Amar Persaud
While Christmas season is often a time of celebrations, for the Ramroop family, it is a time of sorrow – as it is their first without 12-year-old Varshanie Ramroop, whose life was senselessly taken by an alleged speeding driver in June this year.
In an interview with this publication, the young lady’s mother, Reshma Ramroop explained that though six months have passed, justice appears to be a great distance away.
As her family braces themselves to make it through the holidays this year, the grieving mother of two says all she wants for Christmas is for the man responsible for her daughter’s death to face the full brunt of the law.
“I would like to get justice for Christmas or even get a call, I didn’t even get a call from the court or no one yet, I don’t know what’s going on. All they are saying is that the story is at the DPP (Director of Public Prosecution) Office,” the frustrated mother expressed.
On the afternoon of June 8, 2021 – Varshanie Ramroop, a student of Greenwich Park Primary School, was struck down and killed by a pickup as she was crossing the road at Farm, East Bank Essequibo (EBE).
Today, the man responsible for her daughter’s death is walking free as the matter languishes in the court system.
Reports are that the pickup driver – who resided at the gated and luxury community of Windsor Estate on Providence, East Bank Demerara – was charged for driving an uncertified, and an unlicensed motor vehicle. He was fined $10,000 for each charge and was later released on bail.
The Police Force had issued a statement noting that a thorough investigation would have been conducted and that no stone would be left unturned.
“It’s not an easy road to go through with losing my daughter because it’s 12 years, she’s a very big child and it’s a very hard situation. I need someone to step up and help us with this story because so far, the [name withheld] family didn’t reach out to us or no calls or anything,” the woman said, explaining that it appears as if the family of the man responsible for her little girl’s demise has no remorse.
With Christmas being one of Varshanie’s favourite holidays, the Ramroop family, who resides at Parika, EBE expressed that this will be a year without festivities as it is impossible to celebrate, even in the smallest way, without their beloved 12-year-old.
“We have no celebrations or nothing. Just me, my husband and my son and I have some family members, which in the time of grief, they will always be here for us,” the mother explained.
In fact, the distressed mother said she is unsure of how she and her family will find the strength to get through this difficult time, noting that her 14-year-old son is still in a deep state of emotional trauma.
“She was fun being around, she would help around the house and she would be joyful about everything around us, she would go to church, she would spend time with her cousins and her brother.”
“My daughter was a good, kind-hearted, caring and loving person. She always [thought] about her future…she was planning in future to further her studies and was planning to become an airhostess,” the mother recalled.
“It’s been a sad year for us, we can’t get back one like her…it’s a hard time without her…I’m very sad and lonely spending the first Christmas without her…my son is still traumatised because that was his only sister and the two of them were so close,” the grieving mother expressed.
INews reached out to Public Relations Officer of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) Stan Gouveia for an update on the investigation but up to the time of publication, no response was forthcoming.
