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Two children killed at Dakota races
GMR&SC officials abort meeting after racing car ploughs into family bus. Event was a memorial for slain racing ace Gavin Naraine
By Troy Peters and Mark Ramotar

Injured: Keisha Singh, seven.

TWO children were killed, another critically injured, and several other spectators hurt yesterday, when a car driven by British sportsman David Brodie crashed into a bus with spectators during an event at the Gavin Naraine International Race meeting at the South Dakota Circuit, Timehri.

Officials of the Guyana Motor Racing and Sports Club (GMR&SC) called off the meeting at approximately 12:30 hours after it was announced that Dyna De Souza, six, and her two-year-old brother Ashton De Souza of 22 Austin Street, Campbellville had been killed. The brother and sister died on the spot after Brodie's car developed mechanical problems and ran off the track at the second turn hitting the red mini-bus in which family members were seated.

Spectators including Prime Minister Samuel Hinds and Opposition leader Mr Desmond Hoyte were at the time witnessing the third lap of the much-anticipated Group 3 event, which featured several of the top racers from Guyana and Great Britain.

An injured child is taken to an ambulance.

Mother of the two children Mrs Basmattie DeSouza, Keisha Singh, seven, Sandy Singh, 17 and Azeeman Azeez, also called ‘Mamzie', 38, of 2874 North Ruimveldt, were air-dashed to the City and taken to the Georgetown Hospital. Officials at the institution confirmed that Keisha Singh was in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).
The Chronicle learnt that at the time of the accident, the children's father, businessman Kurtis De Souza of Dyna's Embrodiery establishment, was in the ‘pit’.

The impact of the crash sent racing officials, medical personnel and spectators rushing to the scene. Moments later, the driver Brodie was taken from the scene in a state of shock.

British racer Brodie holds his head in anguish after the accident.

President of GMR&SC Mr Stanley Ming in a statement on the public address system confirmed the fatalities and announced the cancellation of the meeting. He described the accident as "very unfortunate".

Ming said that Brodie's car developed mechanical failure and ran off the track.

"Following an emergency meeting of the executive of the GMR&SC, we have decided to cancel the meeting at this point. It is a very unfortunate situation, and I sincerely apologise on behalf of the GMR&SC Executive. I ask you spectators to understand and bear with us."

The car, driven by British race Brodie, after the fatal accident.

A few years ago a Canadian rider crashed and died at the Dakota Circuit, but it is the first time that spectators have been killed at the Circuit, an official of GMR&SC told the Chronicle.

The international race meeting organised by GMR&SC in association with Universal Airlines was held to honour the memory of racing driver Gavin Naraine, who was among several persons gunned down in a bar in Kitty some weeks ago.

Prime Minister Sam Hinds expressed condolences to the De Souza family over the loss of lives.

The children's grandfather, Balwant Singh, 48, of 4133 North Ruimveldt, said he would really miss Ashton and Dyna, whom he described as "little angels".

Singh, who sustained minor injuries to his head, was at the Georgetown Hospital yesterday afternoon trying to be a pillar of strength for the rest of the family, some of whom were very emotional and devastated.

The bus, in and around which, members of the family were congregated.

Still very shocked at the tragic turn of events, Singh tried to recollect for the media what exactly happened a few hours earlier.

He said the family -- comprising himself, his son Rohit Singh; his last daughter, Sandy Singh; his eldest daughter, Basmattie DeSouza; his son-in-law, Kurtis DeSouza; his three grand-children, Ashton and Dyna DeSouza and Keisha Singh and his son's mother-in-law (Keisha's grandmother) Azeemam Azeez -- all left Georgetown yesterday morning in Rohit's private nine-seater minibus -- GFF 3239 to attend the memorial race meeting.

According to Singh, Rohit was slated to participate in the Group B II races yesterday, for the first time. Rohit and Kurtis were in the ‘pit’ area of the Dakota Circuit when the fatal accident occurred.

One of the injured.

"As usual, we just go up to the races and we park by the 'Goose-Neck' (turn two) beyond the fence. We see one race, two race and then the third race come on (and) tragedy struck," Singh recounted.

According to him, the Englishman's racing car crashed through the inadequate fencing facility and then slammed into the minibus he and his family were in.

"I was in front of my son's small bus sitting down and my big daughter, last daughter and three grandchildren and my son's mother-in-law were also inside or by the bus standing up when I suddenly felt an impact. And when I do realise, the whole left side back of the bus tear away. The fence tear away. When I do jump out, I see my granddaughter and my grandson on the ground...," Singh said.

Basmattie and Kurtis DeSouza with baby Dyna in happier times.

He said the children's mother, Basmattie, was also injured along with his daughter Sandy and his other grandchild, Keisha.

Singh, himself, sustained minor injuries from the crash as he hit his head on the dashboard of the vehicle.

The Chronicle was informed that Kurtis and Basmattie were married in 1994. They are the owners of Dyna's Embroidery and Screen Paints on Austin Street, Campbellville. The couple had three children, but following yesterday's tragedy, only one-year-old Lydia remains alive. It is understood that the couple left Lydia at her grandparents’ home in North Ruimveldt, where other family members took care of her.

At approximately 13:00 hrs, the lifeless bodies of the two children arrived at the Georgetown Hospital in an ambulance. By this time, a crowd of curious onlookers, patients and hospital staff had flocked the entrance to the Emergency Unit.

At 14:10 hrs, the bodies of the two children, covered with a brown leatherette-type material, were wheeled out of the Emergency Unit on a single stretcher and taken to the morgue of the Georgetown Hospital.