PM to meet divers’ families on March 27

THE Prime Minister says he intends to meet with relatives of the Paria divers this week. In a brief interview after the launch of an apprenticeship programme at Heritage Petroleum Company on March 25, Dr Rowley said he had instructed his team to make the arrangements.

“I read about it in the media. I got my letter after yours, so I’ve instructed my office today to find them and indicate I’d meet with them on Wednesday, (with) members of the family,” he said.

Among things to be clarified during the meeting, he said, could be compensation.

On March 21, Vanessa Kussie, widow of diver Rishi Nagessar, delivered a letter to Whitehall on behalf of the affected families, formally asking for a meeting.

In early February, Rowley said he was willing to meet with them but had not received a request to do so.

In February 2022, Land and Marine Construction Services (LMCS) divers Christopher Boodram, Kazim Ali Jnr, Fyzal Kurban, Yusuf Henry and Rishi Nagessar were sucked into a Paria Fuel Trading Company Ltd pipeline while working on it. Boodram was the only survivor.

A commission of enquiry (CoE) set up to investigate the accident, in its final report, recommended that the families should receive some compensation. The CoE also recommended charges against Paria and LMCS.