[UPDATED] Another piracy victim buried in Couva

RUNA Kissoon held her chest and cried out when she saw the hearse carrying her eldest child, 21-year-old fisherman Brandon Kissoon, at his funeral at Trotman Street, McBean, Couva, yesterday.

Relatives and villagers surrounded the mother of three, trying to console her.

“He didn’t do them nothing," she said of his attackers.

"He always working hard to help the family and why he had to die like this?"

Choking on her words, she said, “I will not cook dhal, rice and coconut chutney again, because you will never come home for food, son.”

Pundit Ravi Maharaj, as he did the final rites for Brandon, said: "Children are the ones who must perform the last rites for their parents, but this mother today is here performing the final rites for her child."

The killings at sea had shattered this country, he said, and people know now that they live in most frightening times.

"I never had to lock my door at 8pm, but after this horrible crime I started doing that."

Maharaj said he finds himself checking up on his son who is 24 and an attorney, calling at 8pm to find out if he is safe at home.

He said those in Parliament in Port of Spain are not concerned about the citizens, and people must now turn to the Parliament of the homes where they prepare their children to look out for these kinds of incident.

"When last did you call a family meeting?: He asked the congregation, saying it is time for the various families to sit with members and pray for God's mercy.

Brandon’s father Dixon Kissoon said he could not believe his son is no more. Dixon was one of the fishermen who escaped the attack.

“If the Coast Guards were doing their job, I believe the fishermen would not have lost their lives like this,” he said.

Brandon’s cousin Justin Kissoon, who was also attacked at sea, has not been found. Justin’s relatives were at the funeral and offered flowers before the pictures of both men. Brandon's friends wore T-shirts with his and Justin's photographs.

Kissoon was one of seven fishermen who went missing off the Orange Valley port on July 22. Police reports say the men were robbed of their boats and engines and thrown into the sea by armed local pirates. Police later found six of the seven engines stolen in Sea Lots, Port of Spain.

Shortly after the funeral, news broke that a fifth body had been found floating off the southwestern peninsula along the Point Fortin coastline. Police confirmed that the body was seen floating, but the Coast Guard had problems retrieving the body, but eventually did so. The body was later identified as that of Khemraj Sooknanan.

MP for Couva South, Rudranath Indarsingh, said while the country mourns the killing of the fishermen, the government has shown no concern.

“Minister Fitzgerald Hinds said if there was a request by the families of the murdered and still-missing fishermen in Carli Bay, the Government security patrol would have intervened.

"Hinds said since there was no MP who is in government for Couva, there was no need for a government representative to go to the wake or the funeral.

“So when the PNM comes to you lobbying for your vote, you have to tell them you do not belong to them.”

Five bodies have been found at sea by fishermen and two others remain unaccounted for.

On Sunday the funerals of two of the murdered men, Anand Rampersad and Shiva Ramdeo, took place at their homes.

This story was originally published with the title "Another piracy victim buried in Couva" and has been adjusted to include additional details. See original post below.

Runa Kissoon held her chest and cried out when she saw the hearse carrying her first-born child, 21-year-old fisherman Brandon Kissoon at his funeral on Trotman Street, Mc Bean, Couva, on Monday.

Relatives and villagers surrounded Kissoon, a mother of three, as they tried to console her.

“He didn’t do them nothing," she cried. "He always working hard to help the family. And why he had to die like this?”

Choking on her words she said, “I will not cook dhal, rice and coconut chutney again, because you will never come home for food son!”

Brandon was one of seven fishermen who went missing off the Orange Valley Port on July 22. Police reports say the men were robbed of their boats and engines and thrown into the sea by armed local pirates. Six of seven engines stolen were later recovered in Sealots, Port of Spain, by police.

Brandon’s cousin, Justin Kissoon, and two others among those attacked at sea are yet to be found. Justin’s relatives were at the funeral today and were offering flowers to the pictures of both fishermen. Brandon's friends wore t-shirts with his photograph and that of Justin. The atmosphere was one of pain and sorrow as friends cried openly calling out for justice for their lost ones.

Brandon’s father, Dixon Kissoon, said he could not believe that his son was no more. Dixon was one of the fishermen who escaped the pirate attack.

“If the coast guards were doing their job, I believe the fishermen would not have lost their lives like this,” he said.

MP for Couva South Rudy Indarsingh, who also attended the funeral, said while the country mourned the killing of the seven fishermen the government had shown no concern.

He said, “Minister Fitzgerald Hinds said if there was a request by the families of the murdered and still-missing fishermen in Carli Bay, the Government security patrol would have intervened. "Hinds said since there was no member of parliament who is in Government for Couva, there was no need for a Government representative to go to the wake of the funeral.

“So when the PNM comes to you lobbying for your vote you have to tell them you do not belong to them.”

Since the attack, four bodies have been found at sea by fishermen and three others remain unaccounted for despite search efforts last week.

On Sunday the funerals for two of the murdered fishermen Anand Rampersad and Shiva Ramdeo took place at their respective homes.

Runa Kissoon held her chest and cried out when she saw the hearse carrying her first-born child, 21-year-old fisherman Brandon Kissoon at his funeral on Trotman Street, Mc Bean, Couva, on Monday.

Relatives and villagers surrounded Kissoon, a mother of three, as they tried to console her.

“He didn’t do them nothing," she cried. "He always working hard to help the family. And why he had to die like this?”

Choking on her words she said, “I will not cook dhal, rice and coconut chutney again, because you will never come home for food son!”

Brandon was one of seven fishermen who went missing off the Orange Valley Port on July 22. Police reports say the men were robbed of their boats and engines and thrown into the sea by armed local pirates. Six of seven engines stolen were later recovered in Sealots, Port of Spain, by police.

Brandon’s cousin, Justin Kissoon, and two others among those attacked at sea are yet to be found. Justin’s relatives were at the funeral today and were offering flowers to the pictures of both fishermen. Brandon's friends wore t-shirts with his photograph and that of Justin. The atmosphere was one of pain and sorrow as friends cried openly calling out for justice for their lost ones.

Brandon’s father, Dixon Kissoon, said he could not believe that his son was no more. Dixon was one of the fishermen who escaped the pirate attack.

“If the coast guards were doing their job, I believe the fishermen would not have lost their lives like this,” he said.

MP for Couva South Rudy Indarsingh, who also attended the funeral, said while the country mourned the killing of the seven fishermen the government had shown no concern.

He said, “Minister Fitzgerald Hinds said if there was a request by the families of the murdered and still-missing fishermen in Carli Bay, the Government security patrol would have intervened. "Hinds said since there was no member of parliament who is in Government for Couva, there was no need for a Government representative to go to the wake of the funeral.

“So when the PNM comes to you lobbying for your vote you have to tell them you do not belong to them.”

Since the attack, four bodies have been found at sea by fishermen and three others remain unaccounted for despite search efforts last week.

On Sunday the funerals for two of the murdered fishermen Anand Rampersad and Shiva Ramdeo took place at their respective homes.