RADHICA DE SILVA
radhica.sookraj@guardian.co.tt
As she marked the one month death anniversary of the four divers, widow Vanessa Kussie says her two-year-old son Nashhik still waits every day for his father to come home and runs outside every time a car pulls in, thinking it is his father.
Speaking to Guardian Media on Saturday, Kussie said on one occasion, she found the child speaking to someone, even though nobody was there. When she inquired who it was, he revealed it was his daddy.
Recalling the strange occurrence, Kussie said the incident occurred around 10:20 am, on Monday 28th February, the morning after Paria Fuel Trading executives had declared her husband and three other divers dead.
Kussie said her elder son Nicholai came and told her something strange was going on with Nashhik.
Peeping through a crease in the door, she heard Nashik saying, " 'Why are you not coming home, I want you home. Come home now daddy, I need you home. Come and give me a hug.' I don't know who he was seeing but he said it is his father. From the crease in the door, I was watching. We were shocked at what was going on."
After that, Kussie said the car alarm belonging to her eldest son Nigel, started to go off. It wouldn't turn off. Then the radio went beserk and began playing "I'm Sorry" with the volume up and even though they tried to lower the volume, the remote control kept malfunctioning, Kussie revealed.
She said since the tragedy Nashhik has been in tears, noting that the child still cannot comprehend that his father is gone.
"I too feel as if I am in a dream."
Kussie said she will have to return to work doing catering to support her family. Her two eldest boys - Nicolai, 18, and Nigel, 28, - were very close to Rishi, even though he was not their biological father.
Both boys have taken tattoos of Nagassar in the lasting memory of him.
Nagassar and three other divers Kazim Ali Junior, Fyzal Kurban and Yusuf Henry perished after being sucked into a 30-inch diameter pipeline while doing underwater maintenance on No 36 sealine at Paria's No 6 Berth. Only one diver Christopher Boodram survived.
Candlelight vigil
Meanwhile, Oilfield Workers Trade Union Branch president Christopher Jackman attended a candlelight vigil in Pointe-a-Pierre on Friday night and also hinted at the trauma, the children of the dead divers are facing.
"These children still are yet to fathom and understand what is taking place. I strongly believe in the spirit realm. I believe on that Monday when (Riashi Nagassar's) spirit cross over, he reached out to his family and tried to say he was sorry," Jackman said.
He lamented that the divers' deaths had taken a political twist.
"People try to make this into a political issue- ketchup and mustard," he said, referring to the PNM and UNC party colours.
He said he had spoken to Nagassar and Kurban a week before their deaths.
"To this day, we have not heard anything from Paria about addressing their concerns that arose out of their loved ones. These families have no idea where their next income is coming from. Instead of bringing the divers justice, the argument is about this political party against another," Jackman said.
Kevin Lalchan, a friend of Kurban, also urged people to leave politics out of the equation and instead focus on helping the families.
"Stop riding that ketchup and mustard train. Today is about our fellowmen. Politics have a heavy hand in this and they brainwash people. The OWTU was the watchdog for safety but they mash up Petrotrin and created a situation that made it so desperate for people to work under unsafe conditions. In Paria, there is no safety practices and measure. There is heavy darkness in our country. Now is the time to call for justice," he added.
Also attending the vigil was Wayne Thurab, president of the African History Month Committee. The organizers are planning a vigil on the 25th of every month to honour the memories of the divers.
