Paria enquiry to hold September 6 briefing on delayed report

THE Paria Commission of Enquiry (CoE) will hold a virtual news conference at 10 am on September 6 to answer questions arising out of its recent request for an extension of time to submit its final report on last February's deadly accident at Paria Fuel Trading Co Ltd.

On February 25, 2022, divers Rishi Nagassar, Kazim Ali Jr, Fyzal Kurban, Yusuf Henry and Christopher Boodram were doing maintenance work on a 30-inch underwater pipeline belonging to Paria when they were sucked into the pipeline. Boodram was the only survivor.

The CoE was originally due to submit its final report to the President in May. But in a statement on May 5, the commission said it had written to President Christine Kangaloo to seek an extension until August 31.

It has now asked the President for an extension until November 30.
In an August 28 letter, commission chairman Jerome Lynch, KC, said the commission could not meet the August 31 deadline "as there have been a number of new decisions dealing with the importance of the proper procedure to be adopted in CoEs."

The commission cited two cases, one from the United Kingdom. The second was the Las Alturas Housing CoE.

Lynch said the issue was ensuring fairness to everyone, "in particular where there are to be criticisms of individuals that may affect their careers and lead to recommendations as to criminal conduct or a potential for the breach of a duty of care."

Against this background, the commission has given the parties extra time to provide written responses and is still awaiting some of those responses.

Boodram, Vanessa Kussie and Nicole Greenidge have expressed their frustration about the delay in the report's submission. Kussie is Nagassar's widow. Greenidge is Henry's mother.

On March 8, the Prime Minister announced the establishment of the CoE.

Dr Rowley said this was being done after the Opposition UNC raised complaints about the formation of a five-member committee of experts to investigate the incident. Rowley said he had concluded the situation had been politicised to such a high degree that the public would not now accept the recommendations of that committee.
In June, responding to an opposition question in Parliament, Energy Minister Stuart Young said Government could not dictate to the commission or seek to influence its outcome.