Ramadhar ‘aligns’ with UNC on Paria diving tragedy
Written by Newsday on February 23, 2025
CONGRESS of the People (COP) political leader Prakash Ramadhar unofficially aligned himself with the Opposition UNC and members of its “coalition of interests” in condemning the government on the Paria diving tragedy.
On February 25, 2022, Christopher Boodram, Rishi Nagassar, Fyzal Kurban, Yusuf Henry and Kazim Ali Jnr, were repairing a 30-inch pipeline at Paria’s Pointe-a-Pierre facility when they were sucked into it.
Only Boodram managed to get out alive.
Ramadhar, who is the attorney for Henry’s family, also said he planned to seek more than the $5 billion in compensation to the divers’ families he initially proposed, should the matter go to court.
He made these comments at a rally at Pointe-a-Pierre roundabout on February 22.
The UNC was represented by MPs David Lee, Rudranath Indarsingh and Ravi Ratiram; senator Wade Mark, party PRO Dr Kirk Meighoo and candidates Michael Dowlath and John Michael Alibocus.
Also present were Progressive Empowerment Party (PEP) leader Phillip Edward Alexander and members of the Oilfields Workers’ Trade Union (OWTU).
The PEP, Laventille Outreach for Vertical Enrichment (LOVE) and some members of the Joint Trade Union Movement (JTUM) are members of the UNC’s coalition of interests. The OWTU is a member of JTUM.
Ramadhar identified Alexander as “my friend” and “my client.”
He said while some people may not like what Alexander says, “the message is real.”
Ramadhar said the tragedy shook him to the core.
“That brought something deep within me. An anger that could happen in a modern society. Who gave them (Paria) the right to allow those men to die?”
Ramadhar said, “As far as I am concerned, Paria’s concern was more about liability than lives.”
He identified Lee, Indarsingh and Ratiram as his “brothers.”
Ramadhar thanked the OWTU for advocating on behalf of the divers’ families.
He said, “We are being played as a people with propaganda.”
Ramadhar added the tragedy convinced him to return to active politics again.
He recalled his intention to seek $5 million for each of the families of divers killed in the tragedy.
While that action has not been filed yet, Ramadhar said, “When we do file. If they think $5 million I will ask for is unreasonable, wait and see.”
He hinted more could be sought from Paria.
Ramadhar said, “It will include not just the physical loss. It will include not just the loss of earnings. But the most important thing to me is the emotional destruction of families and our nation. You cannot put a real number on that.”
He warned he was prepared to go to the Privy Council in London if Paria did not accept the terms of the settlement.
Ramadhar repeated, “This is not a matter for the lawyers. This is a matter for the government.”
He said as part of the former Kamla Persad-Bissessar cabinet (2010-2015), that cabinet would directly address matters such as this and look after the bureaucracy later.
The government appointed a Commission of Enquiry to investigate the Paria incident but its report found there was not a strong enough case to prosecute any individual, but the law allowed for a corporation to be charged with manslaughter.
Last July, Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Roger Gaspard, SC, instructed then CoP Erla Harewood-Christopher to initiate an investigation to determine whether any individual or entity could be charged for manslaughter by gross negligence in relation to the tragedy.
Alexander said the divers’ blood was on the hands of Paria and the government.
He called for Energy Minister Stuart Young and Paria’s board of directors to be fired.
Lee said the divers’ families and the nation have not been able to breathe for nine years because of the PNM.
He promised they would breathe again once they elected the UNC to office.
Indarsingh endorsed Lee’s statements.
OWTU members later burnt photos of Young and the Prime Minister in a barrel at the roundabout.
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