Mural at NUSS to honour Rock Gutter victims

A mural has been painted in honour of the four students of the North Union Secondary School (NUSS) who lost their lives in the Rock Gutter tragedy of January 12, 2015.

The beautiful mural, which bears the names and images of the four students: Jamal and Jamalie Edwards, Annique Alexander {{more}}and Chanstacia Stay, was unveiled at the school, on Friday, February 6, following a thanksgiving service.

The thanksgiving service, which was held at the New Life Ministries church at New Grounds, saw students paying tribute to their fallen colleagues through song.

At the service, plaques were presented to the civilian divers who risked their lives to assist with the recovery of bodies in the turbulent waters of Rock Gutter, Owia.

Parents of the deceased and those students who survived the crash were also presented with plaques.

Cricket bats were presented to two of the survivors who lost their cricket gear in the accident.

Following the service, a rose and candle march was held, during which students, teachers, government and school officials marched from the church to the school for the unveiling of the mural and tree planting ceremony.

When they arrived at the school compound, the students stood in three lines on the hard court, as curtains were pulled back from the mural which reads, “In memory of our Rock Gutter Angels.”

Persons in attendance at the event included: Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education Girlyn Miguel; Minister of Agriculture and MP for South Central Windward Saboto Caesar; Housing Minister and MP for North Windward Montgomery Daniel and Minister of National Mobilization and MP for South Windward Frederick Stevenson.

Pastor Brent St John of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church delivered the sermon.

On January 12, 2015, an omnibus carrying 21 passengers from Fancy ran off the Road at Rock Gutter and plunged into the sea below.

The accident claimed the lives of Jamal and Jamalie Edwards, Annique Alexander, Raquel Ashton and Glenroy Michael Jr.

Simonique Ballantyne of the Georgetown Secondary School and Chanstacia Stay of the NUSS are still missing, but presumed dead.