Paria divers' families: We would welcome meeting with PM

DIVER Christopher Boodram, Vanessa Kussie, attorney Prakash Ramadhar and Oilfield Workers Trade Union (OWTU) Pointe-a-Pierre branch president Christopher Jackman welcomed the Prime Minister's willingness to meet with families of the five divers involved in the tragedy at Paria Fuel Trading Ltd on February 25, 2022.

Boodram, Kazim Ali Jnr, Fyzal Kurban, Yusuf Henry and Rishi Nagassar were sucked into a 30-inch pipeline at Paria's Pointe-a-Pierre facility that they were repairing. Only Boodram escaped.

The divers worked for LMCS (Land and Marine Construction Services Ltd), which had a contract with Paria.

Asked during a news conference at the Office of the Prime Minister at Whitehall, St Clair on Friday whether he would be willing to meet with the families, Dr Rowley said yes.

But he said he would not play politics with the matter.

In response, Boodram said, "I endorse the idea, providing it's about ex-gratia payment or compensation."

Boodram added that this meeting should take place "with our lawyers being present."

Kussie, who is Nagassar's widow, said, "I am happy to hear about this and I hope that he visits us soon or has a meeting with the immediate families as soon as possible."

She added, "Our struggles are real and I hope that this meeting ends well."

Kussie reiterated that the families want compensation for life.

"We have children to maintain and send to school. Our homes are not our homes anymore because our breadwinners have been taken away from us."

Ramadhar, who represents the Kurban and Henry families, said Rowley and the families were free to meet and discuss whatever they wanted.

"As prime minister, he is entitled to meet with persons he feels that are worthy of meeting with him."

But Ramadhar believed this meeting is a bit too late.

"As we know, the expression of compassion (for the families) would have been crucially important on a much earlier date."

Ramadhar did not understand what Rowley meant by saying he was not playing politics with the Paria tragedy. He said as prime minister, Rowley holds political office.

But he added this is a matter about justice and not politics.

Rowley, he said, "has the political power to ensure that justice will be better granted to the families."

At a news conference at his San Fernando office on January 22, Ramadhar suggested ex-gratia payments of $5 million to each of the families would be fair.

The families, members of the OWTU and the UNC protested outside Paria at Pointe-a-Pierre on February 1 to continue their call for compensation. They also protested there last week.

Jackman said, "I would commend him if he chose to meet with the families and address their issues. That will be a step in the right direction."

He added that while Rowley's statement was positive, such a meeting comes two years late.

Jackman said the OWTU is not about playing politics.

"We are dedicated solely to building a society where fairness and justice is upheld."

Jackman added that whether the families want to meet with Rowley is a matter for them alone to decide.

Responding to questions from the Opposition in the House of Representatives last week about compensation, Rowley said, "This is not a matter for the Government of Trinidad and Tobago to jump in.

"This is a matter where a state company had an accident in a situation where a contract was being executed by a private company. These are the facts.

"So the Government cannot just jump in and decide to pay compensation willy-nilly all over the place. We have to follow processes."

Rowley told MPs that Paria is reviewing the contents of the Paria Commission of Enquiry (CoE) report, which Energy Minister Stuart Young laid in the House on January 19.

"This matter remains mainly a legal matter of liabilities and responsibilities.

"It would be quite unusual at this stage for the Government to override the responsibilities or role of the board (of Paria) and other entities involved."