The father of a Guyanese man who died in a road accident in Antigua is appealing for urgent assistance as he remains stranded on the island awaiting an autopsy that has been delayed for more than two weeks.
Brian Bristol travelled to Antigua on 24 November, four days after his 40-year-old son, Brenton Bristol, was killed when the vehicle he was in struck a horse on Friars Hill Road. Although an inquest was completed last week, the post-mortem has yet to be carried out.
Mr Bristol told Stabroek News he had received no official updates and said the delay was reportedly due to a malfunctioning x-ray machine, which must be used before an autopsy can take place under local procedures. He said he had asked whether the scan could be done privately but had not been given an answer.
“I have been here since the 24th and there has been no formal word from authorities,” he said. “I just want to know what the process will be.”
Brenton Bristol, a long-time Antigua resident and Sandals employee, died at the scene. The driver, a close friend, survived with head injuries. The horse also died.
Mr Bristol, a former Guyana Defence Force officer who now lives in the US, said he felt “helpless”, noting that a death certificate — required for the body to be released — cannot be issued until the autopsy is complete. A family member must also be present for the procedure.
Police have been in contact, he said, but no firm timeline has been provided.
“We can’t be sitting and waiting. Please, just give us something to work with,” he said.
He thanked staff at Sandals Antigua and members of the Guyanese and Antiguan communities who had supported him during his stay.
Mr Bristol met at the weekend with Antigua and Barbuda’s Honorary Consul for Guyana, Robert Edwin Reis, who said he would look into the case.
“We just want closure,” Mr Bristol added. “Would there be this silence if he was a US, British or European citizen? We in Caricom have to do better.”
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I can feel the man frustration. I think the police force need a special branch just to deal with communicating with family members in those sort of situations.
Everybody cannot be lying on the authorities over their lack of communication