JAMAL BEST, 17, of First Avenue, Goodland, St Michael, wept openly yesterday after one of his pet horses fell into an open well and later died.
Around 4 p.m. his six-year-old horse Edgutec fell into the well on an unoccupied piece of land that was once home to the Goodland Barbell Club gym.
The horse was later pronounced dead by chief inspector of the RSPCA, Wayne Norville.
Still in shock, Best told the DAILY NATION he was at his sister when he received the sad news.
“All I was doing was crying,” he said, trying to hold back tears.
Jamal’s brother Jabarr said he was “breezing” with some friends when someone shouted that the horse had fallen into the well. He said prior to that no one was aware of the uncovered well.
“As soon as we found out, we called the Fire Service and they came and they [were] just talking among themselves and said they can’t pull it out . . . . We then called the RSPCA and someone came and took some pictures and said he would come back,” he said, noting that he was surprised that the fire officers didn’t even attempt to save the horse.
About 5:30 p.m. Norville returned, at which time he declared the stallion dead. He lamented that he had for years been trying to get people to cover open wells on their premises.
“If it was alive, then I could try and get it out, but they would have to call a skip and get it out now . . . . One of them [the open well] would have to kill somebody before they learn.
“You have a person with a piece of land and they don’t cover it. A child could run across there [in the] same way,” he said.
A member of the Barbados Fire Service confirmed that they had received a call and responded, but said he could not comment any further on the incident.
(MM)
