PHILIPSBURG:--- A silent march organized by NAGICO Insurances was held Friday afternoon in honor of Sergeant Gamali Benjamin who was gunned down on Wednesday afternoon on Front Street while on duty.
The walk begun in front of the Post Office saw more than two hundred persons participating, including all members of staff from NAGICO, members of various sectors of the Justice Department and scores of other members of the community.
Wearing blue ribbons; as a sign of peace, the marchers walked slowly two by two making their way to Front Street; to the now revered spot where Sergeant Benjamin fell after been hit by bullets. Several store owners and workers left their stores to join the gathering and many Parliamentarians who were still in the vicinity joined the group of marchers and placed blue ribbons on the scene.
Eric Ellis; Director of Claims of NAGICO, addressed the crowd briefly, stating that NAGICO will continue to support the police and appealed for other businesses to also move to action. “We at NAGICO have been working with the police on several projects and we are deeply saddened by this tragedy,” he said. “Officer Benjamin is one who takes his job seriously and there was not a day while patrolling that he ever passed our office and not stop to check on how things were. He did that down to the very day, just minutes before he was shot. On behalf of the Management and staff of NAGCO, I want to extend our sympathies to the family, friends and colleagues of Officer Gamali Benjamin. Our prayers are with them.”
Inspector Ricardo Henson thanked the members of the public for their support and lauded NAGICO for organizing the event. He also thanked their colleagues in attendance from the Immigration, Prison and Police department.
After placing their ribbons at the spot, the group of marchers made their way to the Police station where Henson extended thanks again and the marchers proceeded to hug and extend personal sympathies to the officers who came out of the police station to join the marchers.
