‘… Paria handled the situation as a bureaucratic exercise rather than a time-sensitive rescue mission’
By Alicia Chamely
“THE rescue that never occurred.”
Five words from attorney Prakash Ramadhar that cut into the souls of everyone listening to this week’s Commission of Enquiry into the deaths of LCMS underwater divers Kazim Ali Jr, Yusuf Henry, Rishi Nagassar and Fyzal Kurban, who were sucked into a 30-inch pipeline owned by Paria Fuel Trading Company Limited.
During the questioning of Paria Technical Maintenance Manager Michael Wei, a visibly emotional Ramadhar reminded us all, especially team Paria, what exactly we are all angry about.
Angry that Paria handled the situation as a bureaucratic exercise rather than a time-sensitive rescue mission. And while they conducted all of their “assessments” between Friday and Sunday, four men were trapped underwater in pitch black pipeline, praying for help.
Since the events of February 25th, I am held back on commenting about the tragedy that unfolded at Berth 6. It was, and still is, a highly emotional situation and not having any knowledge or expertise about these sorts of things, I chose to keep any early opinions to myself until I felt like I had enough facts, until I had heard from both sides.
Over the past week I listened, I read and I felt that initial sadness turn into anger.
It has become evident that Paria believes their best defence is to discredit LCMS and their divers. They pointed out that of the five divers sucked into the pipeline, only two were commercially trained divers. They pointed out that the men strayed from the scope of work and were not supposed to remove a plug. They pointed out as per their contract LCMS was supposed to have a plan should something of this nature occur. They even had the nerve to pat themselves on the backs and declare they did a good job.
‘This is just another example of a state-run enterprise cutting corners when hiring sub-contractors to save a dollar, keep profits up and guarantee big end-of-year bonuses for the top dogs’
But here is the thing, all they did was point the finger highlighting their own negligence. Isn’t it Paria’s responsibility to ensure all divers were properly qualified? Isn’t it Paria’s responsibility to ensure their contractors have emergency plans in place? Isn’t it Paria’s responsibility to ensure works are being monitored to assure jobs are being carried out to specification? I am sure the commission will note these things in its report.
I believe it is. This is just another example of a state-run enterprise cutting corners when hiring sub-contractors to save a dollar, keep profits up and guarantee big end-of-year bonuses for the top dogs.
All Paria has done over the last week was highlight its inefficiencies and less-than-best practice standards.
Explain to me why the families of the divers were left in a car park for hours with no official handling? Why Paria did not have the equipment it needed on hand to quickly assess the situation? Why did it take close to two days for the head Paria and Mr Wei to visit the site?
And lastly, can someone explain to me what Wei meant when he said Paria didn’t direct the Coast Guard to block rescue efforts, but rather to assist them in not allowing rescuers to enter the water?
The entire thing was a mess (I can’t use stronger language).
Maybe I am blinded by anger, maybe I am being one-sided and unfair. But the arrogance and contempt towards the divers and their families that Paria has shown are infuriating.
The lone survivor Christopher Boodram will never be okay. No amount of financial compensation can make him or the families of his friends whole again. But justice being served can help. And justice needs to be served.
Had this been an international company, the chief executive officer would have been fired in a heartbeat and criminal negligence proceedings would have been started.
I don’t know how long those men survived in that pipe. I don’t know the true circumstances of what happened. What I do know is that Paria had no idea what to do and as Ramadhar pointed out, they treated the situation as a bureaucratic exercise rather than a time-sensitive life-saving rescue mission, and because of this four men lost their lives.
The Rescue that Never Occurred
‘… Paria handled the situation as a bureaucratic exercise rather than a time-sensitive rescue mission’
“THE rescue that never occurred.”
Five words from attorney Prakash Ramadhar that cut into the souls of everyone listening to this week’s Commission of Enquiry into the deaths of LCMS underwater divers Kazim Ali Jr, Yusuf Henry, Rishi Nagassar and Fyzal Kurban, who were sucked into a 30-inch pipeline owned by Paria Fuel Trading Company Limited.
During the questioning of Paria Technical Maintenance Manager Michael Wei, a visibly emotional Ramadhar reminded us all, especially team Paria, what exactly we are all angry about.
Angry that Paria handled the situation as a bureaucratic exercise rather than a time-sensitive rescue mission. And while they conducted all of their “assessments” between Friday and Sunday, four men were trapped underwater in pitch black pipeline, praying for help.
Since the events of February 25th, I am held back on commenting about the tragedy that unfolded at Berth 6. It was, and still is, a highly emotional situation and not having any knowledge or expertise about these sorts of things, I chose to keep any early opinions to myself until I felt like I had enough facts, until I had heard from both sides.
Over the past week I listened, I read and I felt that initial sadness turn into anger.
It has become evident that Paria believes their best defence is to discredit LCMS and their divers. They pointed out that of the five divers sucked into the pipeline, only two were commercially trained divers. They pointed out that the men strayed from the scope of work and were not supposed to remove a plug. They pointed out as per their contract LCMS was supposed to have a plan should something of this nature occur. They even had the nerve to pat themselves on the backs and declare they did a good job.
‘This is just another example of a state-run enterprise cutting corners when hiring sub-contractors to save a dollar, keep profits up and guarantee big end-of-year bonuses for the top dogs’
But here is the thing, all they did was point the finger highlighting their own negligence. Isn’t it Paria’s responsibility to ensure all divers were properly qualified? Isn’t it Paria’s responsibility to ensure their contractors have emergency plans in place? Isn’t it Paria’s responsibility to ensure works are being monitored to assure jobs are being carried out to specification? I am sure the commission will note these things in its report.
I believe it is. This is just another example of a state-run enterprise cutting corners when hiring sub-contractors to save a dollar, keep profits up and guarantee big end-of-year bonuses for the top dogs.
All Paria has done over the last week was highlight its inefficiencies and less-than-best practice standards.
Explain to me why the families of the divers were left in a car park for hours with no official handling? Why Paria did not have the equipment it needed on hand to quickly assess the situation? Why did it take close to two days for the head Paria and Mr Wei to visit the site?
And lastly, can someone explain to me what Wei meant when he said Paria didn’t direct the Coast Guard to block rescue efforts, but rather to assist them in not allowing rescuers to enter the water?
The entire thing was a mess (I can’t use stronger language).
Maybe I am blinded by anger, maybe I am being one-sided and unfair. But the arrogance and contempt towards the divers and their families that Paria has shown are infuriating.
The lone survivor Christopher Boodram will never be okay. No amount of financial compensation can make him or the families of his friends whole again. But justice being served can help. And justice needs to be served.
Had this been an international company, the chief executive officer would have been fired in a heartbeat and criminal negligence proceedings would have been started.
I don’t know how long those men survived in that pipe. I don’t know the true circumstances of what happened. What I do know is that Paria had no idea what to do and as Ramadhar pointed out, they treated the situation as a bureaucratic exercise rather than a time-sensitive life-saving rescue mission, and because of this four men lost their lives.