UNC demands criminal probe, dismissal of Young, Paria board

THE Opposition UNC is demanding a criminal investigation into the February 25 incident at Paria Fuel Trading Ltd's, Pointe-a-Pierre compound, in which four divers died.

The UNC also called for the dismissal of Energy Minister Stuart Young and Paria's board of directors.

Kazim Ali Jr, Fyzal Kurban, Yusuf Henry, Rishi Nagassar and Christopher Boodram were doing maintenance work on a 30-inch pipeline at Berth 6, belonging to Paria , when the incident happened. Ali Jr, Kurban, Henry and Nagassar were sucked into the pipeline and died. Only Boodram survived

The call was made at the UNC's women March in Chaguanas on Sunday. Dressed in white, hundreds of UNC supporters marched along Narsaloo Ramaya Road, led in chorus by Chaguanas East MP Vandana Mohit.

"We want justice!" They chanted the word justice as each of the five divers' names were called by Mohit. They also chanted, "Stuart Young must go!"

They also complained about crime and demanded that National Security Minister Fitzgerald Hinds also resign.

Young and Hinds were among the government ministers who were not reassigned in a major Cabinet reshuffle on Wednesday last week. The most signifcant change in the reshuffle was the reassignment of San Fernando West MP Faris Al-Rawi from attorney general to Rural Development and Local Government Minister. Attorney Reginald Armour SC was appointed AG and as a government senator.

St Augustine MP Khadijah Ameen said no one knows the trauma the families of the five divers continue to endure.

"We are calling for the board of Paria to resign or be fired. Paria's board must go!

"We are calling for a full criminal investigation for what happened at Paria and we will not rest until justice is done."

Ameen warned against a nine-day mentality setting in.

"We are six years of nine days and this government continues to wreak havoc in every sector."

UNC Women's Arm chairman Kenya Charles said, "The families of these (four divers) left wives and children behind. We want justice for them."

Charles called for Young to resign or be fired. "He's wasting time."

Couva South MP Rudranath Indarsingh claimed the incompetence of Paria's board of directors caused the incident.

"Their inaction, their incompetence, their lack of leadership led to the deaths of four persons. That is why, in the UNC, we have been saying it is state-sanctioned murder."

On March 8, the Prime Minister announced the appointment of a commission of enquiry into the incident.

The commission will consist of former head of Jamaica's appeal court Justice Cecil Dennis Morrison QC (chairman) and local subsea specialist Gregory Wilson, while Cabinet searches for a third member – an investigator with international experience in oil and gas industry investigations.

Former attorney general Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj SC will serve as lead counsel for the CoE.

Indarsingh called on Morrison and Wilson "to ensure that that CoE fulfills its sense of duties and responsibilities with a sense of impartiality.”

He reminded supporters that UNC political leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar has insisted "we will not rest until there is justice, there is fair play and equality for the families of all these divers." Indarsingh vowed the UNC will continue to have public protests across TT.

Pointe-a-Pierre MP David Lee said, "We hope that the CoE at the end of the day, starts by tomorrow."

He reminded supporters that the commission's quorum is two and it did not need to await the appointment of its third member to begin its work.

The UNC, Lee continued, is asking the Government "do not pay lip service and we want the CoE to start tomorrow."

UNC Women's Arm member Anjie Benjamin reiterated claims there were divers on standby on February 25 to rescue the trapped divers. "What did Paria do? We waiting on a permission slip.

"I am telling you today that this could have been avoided." Benjamin cried as she spoke

She said she was close to the family of one of the deceased divers.