Sharlene Rampersad
The Commission of Enquiry (CoE) into the Paria diving tragedy will deliver a draft report of their findings into the incident to the President in April.
This from the Commission’s chairman, King’s Counsel Jerome Lynch, who spoke at the start of yesterday’s sitting of the enquiry.
Lynch said the commission will be viewing the habitat or hyperbaric chamber being used by the five LMCS divers on March 14 and 15.
On February 25, 2022, five LMCS divers were sucked into a 30-inch Paria Fuel Trading Company Limited pipeline while doing underwater maintenance work.
Four of them, Kazim Ali Junior, Fyzal Kurban, Rishi Nagassar and Yusuf Henry died inside the pipeline.
The tragedy’s lone survivor, Christopher Boodram, managed to drag himself to the top of the pipe where he was rescued some two hours after the accident.
On Friday, Lynch announced a timeline for the delivery of the commission’s draft report to the Government.
“I make clear now that it is our intention that there should be a draft report in the early part of April and there will be a final report after the supply of any summon letters at the earliest opportunity, if there are to be any, by the end of April. I hope to able to provide the President with a copy of our report by the end of April,” Lynch said.
However, he said it will be up to the Government when the report is made public.
“I will do everything in my power to encourage them to do so pronto, this is a matter which has attracted considerable public attention and involves the future of this industry and people’s lives. If there is any value in having this public enquiry, it is in making available our report as soon as humanly possible,” Lynch said.
Two days ago, Lynch said the inspection of the habitat would take place before the end of February. He said he understands that period in February would be a busy time in T&T.
“I wouldn’t want to upset counsel who wish to attend the festivities by having to attend the chamber as well,” Lynch joked.
Paria’s attorney, Gilbert Peterson said the company was concerned about allegations of it tampering with the hyperbaric chamber, as it is yet to be removed from the ocean floor.
The chamber fell on February 27, when a team at Paria was trying to remove it to continue rescue efforts for the four men.
Peterson said Paria wants LMCS representatives to be present when the chamber is brought ashore.
Lynch also requested that Paria make a video recording of the chamber’s removal from the seabed.
Lynch also announced that the testimony from the divers’ families will be moved from Tuesday to Monday.
He said relatives of Kazim Ali Junior and Rishi Nagassar are currently scheduled to give statements before the Commission.
On Wednesday, Lynch invited relatives of all four men to present statements on their experiences while they were waiting for news on whether their loved ones were being rescued.
Lynch also announced representatives of the Occupational Health and Safety Authority (OSHA) will no longer be called upon to give evidence before the commission. Three OSHA representatives were expected to give evidence before the Commission on January 9.
“They were pencilled in for Monday, I have reviewed their evidence with the team and for our part, given that they have provided us with statements and have been interviewed by us, we have no specific need to call any of the witnesses from OSHA,” Lynch said.
However, he asked the attorneys for the various parties if they needed to ask questions to the OSHA representatives.
After getting negative responses from both Paria’s attorney, Gilbert Peterson and LMCS’ attorney, Kamini Persaud-Maharaj, Lynch dismissed the OSHA representatives from having to give evidence before the commission.
