DEADLY ARMY EXPLOSION: The information does not add up- distraught Dad
DEAD: Guyana Defense Force Lance Corporal Toony Peneux
Laddy Peneux is among those persons mourning the loss of a loved one following the explosion at the Guyana Defense Force Base Camp Stephenson which occurred Thursday morning at Timehri, East Bank Demerara.
His youngest child, 28-year-old Toony Peneux died along with two other soldiers during the explosion. Toony was a Lance Corporal in the army where he has been working since 2015.
During a phone interview with BIG Smith News Watch Thursday afternoon, Mr. Peneux said that he wanted answers as he feels that all the pertinent information surrounding the incident is not being shared with the relatives of the dead and injured defense force ranks.
In our conversation with the distraught father, he was very clear in pointing out that he does not accept the answers given to him by the Guyana Defense Force in relation to the death of his son. “The information given to me does not add up”
The grieving father told BIG Smith News Watch it is his hope that a comprehensive probe is done by the relevant authorities into the matter as moving on without his ‘baby’ would be a tuff one since they shared a very close bond and father and son relationship even as he pointed out that son was very supportive of the rest of the family.
Peneux during one of his days at work
The Guyana Defense Force has already indicated that they will be holding a board of inquiry into the incident which has left the three ranks dead and others injured. “I want my son home, I want him to come home to be buried” the father passionately noted.
Lance Corporal Peneux hails from the community of Orealla which is located on the Left Bank of the Corentyne River and would take three hours to reach by boat. However, the village is on lockdown owing to the Coronavirus, and transport across the Corentyne River is not is permitted at this point.
The father said the last conversation he had with his son was on Wednesday evening, the night before the incident. Mr. Peneux recalled talking to his son for a lengthy period as is customary even as they made jokes. He had no idea that he would be speaking to his son for the last time.
Sobbing could be heard from the other end of the line during the telephone interview as Mr. Peneux struggled to relate to us that from a very tender age, his son fashioned himself to grow up serving his country through the Guyana Defense Force as a decorated officer.
The last of five children; Toony’s untimely demise while doing what he loved most, is what pains the family more, according to this father.
‘She is not taking it lightly, she’s gone already,” Mr. Peneux said of his wife who has been struggling to come to grips with the death of her son.
While the family is preparing to enter another chapter of their lives without Toony, Mr. Peneux seems determined to have justifiable answers and explanations from the Guyana Defense Force about what really happened at Base Camp Stephenson on Thursday morning.
