Mom sues ministry over son’s death

The mother of a man who died after being knocked down by a car in 2015, has instituted legal proceedings against the Ministry of Works and Transport. Employees of several businesses near Gulf City Mall, cross the road by ‘timing’ the 16 traffic lights which regulate vehicles across 13 lanes on a T-junction. Jhamall Kelly Walker, 19, of Tarodale, San Fernando did exactly that on January 31, 2015 after leaving work at Fun Station, but was knocked down by a car.

He died later at San Fernando General Hospital.

Walker’s mother Jillian has filed a lawsuit claiming the Ministry ought to have been aware of the dangers and cause a pedestrian crossing section of the road to be built to facilitate workers from businesses including Fun Station, KFC, Pizza Hut, Republic Bank, SuperPharm, Playduim, Ma Pau, The Rig, Sting Gym and Anand Low Price Supermarket to cross the road safely.

In a pre-action protocol letter to the Attorney General, Walker’s attorney Ted Roopnarine asked how all these businesses were allowed to become established, yet the ministry has not acknowledged the dangers of employees having to ‘time’ the traffic lights in order to cross the road to get to the taxi stands located outside Gulf City Mall.

The attorney stated there is not even a pedestrian light controlling the crossing of pedestrians at the T-junction. Roopnarine intends to file a lawsuit against the ministry, stating it ought to know the volume of traffic and the need for a pedestrian crossing section. Jhamall’s mother is seeking damages of over $1.2 million for loss of her son’s life and earnings he could have worked for in the next 30 years.