Six-year-old bombing victim Soraya Bourne laid to rest amid heartwrenching sorrow

– Minister Walrond joins mourners in final farewell

Six-year-old Soraya Bourne, whose life was tragically taken in the October 26 terrorist bombing at the Mobil Gas Station on Regent and King Streets, was laid to rest on Sunday, surrounded by tearful relatives, friends, and members of the wider community.

Dressed in shades of pink, her favourite colour, mourners gathered to say farewell to the little girl whose death has left a nation heartbroken. Her lilac casket, adorned with pink flowers and bearing her photographs, stood as a tender reminder of her short but radiant life.
Many of those in attendance were classmates and teachers from her school, who joined family members in singing hymns and sharing memories of her cheerful spirit. It was an emotional farewell, as even those who did not know Soraya personally came to offer comfort and support to her grieving family.
Among the mourners was Minister of Home Affairs, Oneidge Walrond, who attended the funeral to pay her respects on behalf of the Government of Guyana.
In a statement shared on her official page, the Minister reflected on the loss of young Soraya, saying she did so “not only as a Minister of Government, but as a mother and a citizen of this beloved country.”

“Soraya’s life, so full of promise and light, was extinguished in a manner that shook the very soul of our nation,” the Minister said. “Her innocence, her joy, her future — all were stolen in a moment of senseless violence. On behalf of H.E. President Mohamed Irfaan Ali, the Government of Guyana, and the Ministry of Home Affairs, I extend our deepest and most heartfelt condolences to Soraya’s parents, family, and loved ones. We mourn with you. We share in your grief. And we stand with you in this moment of unimaginable sorrow. May Soraya’s beautiful soul rest in eternal peace”, she said.
Soraya was among four occupants in a vehicle that was parked near the Mobil Gas Station when a massive explosion ripped through the area shortly after 19:30h on October 26. The blast, which investigators later determined was a deliberate act, claimed Soraya’s life and left her eight-year-old brother, Rashad Lord, eleven-year-old cousin, Sediya McClintock, and 77-year-old grandmother, Yvonne Jones, severely injured.
Following an intensive investigation, the Guyana Police Force has since charged seven persons — four Venezuelans and three Guyanese — with terrorism in connection with the deadly attack.
The prime suspect, 33-year-old Venezuelan national Daniel Alexander Ramirez Poedemo, reportedly confessed to bringing the explosive device from Venezuela and detonating it at the station. He was captured at Vergenoegen, East Bank Essequibo, after a public tip-off, and investigators later retrieved images of the bomb from his mobile phone.
Authorities have confirmed that Poedemo is a member of a Venezuelan criminal organisation known as “Organisation R.” Police have stated that the case will be pursued under the Anti-Terrorism provisions of the Criminal Law (Offences) Act, with the death penalty being sought for those convicted.
President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali met with the victims’ families shortly after the tragedy, assuring them of the Government’s full support and promising swift justice for those responsible.