Newly installed Governor General Stanley “Stalky” John, KC, visited Fancy on Saturday to meet with people affected by the Rock Gutter Tragedy of Jan. 12, 2015, which claimed the lives of seven students.
The students, aged 12 to 16, died when the minivan in which they were travelling to school careened down a steep section of Road at Rock Gutter, an uninhabited area between Owia and Fancy, and plunged into the sea.
The governor general’s delegation included two counsellors and they heard from the survivors, the parents of the deceased students and their families.
MP for North Windward, Shevern John, also attended the event, which was not publicised and included community members immediately affected by the tragedy.
The head of state said he wanted to meet with them close to the anniversary of the tragedy to show his support and to understand their grief and coping mechanisms.
Maxroy “Danny” Michael, a survivor of the tragedy, recalled how he saved some of his peers before running about two miles back to Fancy to inform people about the accident.
Racquel Ashton, Simonique Ballantyne, Glenroy Michael, Chanstacia Stay, Annique Alexander, and brothers Jamarl and Jarmallie Edwards died in the incident.
The bodies of Stay and Ballantyne were never recovered from the sea.
Ehud Myers, the vehicle’s conductor, died in April 2023 of unrelated causes.
Shelland Hoyte, a nurse, and driver Ravanon Nanton were the only other adults in the vehicle when the tragedy struck.
The surviving students are: Onique Michael, Christie Bowens, Odesia Stay, Teyahna Bowens, Terril Thomas, Israel Roberts, Ruthann Bowens, Orlando Lewis, Shemroy Yorke and Candi-Ann Sterling.
On Jan. 12 this year, a commemorative service and candlelight vigil were held to commemorate the anniversary of the incident.
In March 2017, a monument was erected at Rock Gutter in memory of those who died.
I am hurt that you choose to disrespect my area rep ,her name is Honorable Shevern John and not Stewart please make the correction .
The country is very mountainous and better infrastructure needed. Many of our roads should be studied carefully and be re-routed. We can do a lot better in engineering many of our roads. We should begin to study putting some roads or parts under -ground. Some parts of our country would be better serve using Ferry boats. The government should close that road and use the sea to transport the children, until a better solution can be found. How many more invaluable lives have to be lost before we offer them a better way? The Governor is trying and that is good. However, more is needed to save lives. Am afraid that tragedy may not be the last, if serious improvement is not brought to rectify the problem.
.