“We are not giving up.”
This was the emphatic declaration from 19-year-old Roshnie Seenath yesterday, as she vowed to continue the search for her mother Bissoondaye Geeta Seenath, 47, who went missing last week Saturday during a hike to Rio Seco waterfall, Matura.
Her comment follows a statement from the civil-military affairs officer of the Defence Force, Maj Al Alexander, who on Thursday said the joint police/army search for her in the Matura forest had been called off.
The search produced no sign of Seenath, the mother of three, who went missing during an excursion to Salybia Beach.
She left with 13 of the 40 participants to hike from the beach to the nearby Rio Seco falls but went missing later that day.
Since then massive searches were done in the Matura forest and surrounding areas by police, army and volunteers, including Seenath’s relatives.
Yesterday’s planned search was called off because of heavy rains in the Matura area.
Roshnie, who spoke in a telephone interview yesterday, said: “Hope is not fading at all. We are not going to give up until we find her. Until I have my mom right next to me I am not giving up on her.”
She said the past week had been stressful for her and her father.
“Every time I leave the Matura area I feeling like I leaving part of my flesh behind,” she said.
Roshnie said the police assured her that the search for her mother had not been called off.
“They are still searching, that is definite. She is still out there. The search is still on. We are not giving up. The police assured me they are not calling off the search until they find her, until they are able to get some lead or information saying where she is or what could have happened.”
Roshnie said she was saddened by the news that volunteer Jonathan Constantine, 23, was injured during the search for her mother.
Constantine, of Paramin Hill, Maraval, was searching the Matura forest with his cousin Sabidus when he stumbled on a trapgun in a camp. When he tried to pick it up, it exploded and severed his left arm.
Roshnie expressed sympathy with Constantine and his family.
“I could imagine how he regrets looking for my mom now.
“But I want to say I appreciate everything he did, leaving (his) family behind to come look for my mom. I am deeply, deeply sorry for the pain. I would offer anything to help. If there is anything I can do, I would. It was for our sake, he was helping us to find my mom.”
Investigators said yesterday they were close to making a breakthrough in Seenath’s disappearance and were working along certain lines which they could not disclose.
Investigators are asking members of the public with information on Seenath’s disappearance to contact the Matura Police Station at 668-4511, Roshnie Seenath at 386-7616, or Mohan Seenath at 352-1661.
Sgt Christopher Fuentes is continuing inquiries.