Young failed these families
Written by Newsday on February 4, 2025
THE EDITOR: I am heartbroken. I am angry. And I cannot believe what has happened in this country.
The news that the search for Pete Phillip’s body has stopped – just weeks before his widow, Candacy, gives birth to their child – is beyond cruel. This woman, who has already lost so much, now has to carry this pain even longer because this government does not care.
The search will only resume in March. What kind of people make a decision like that? What kind of leadership allows this to happen?
The horror of what happened to the Paria divers still haunts this nation. They died trapped, suffering, and abandoned while their families stood helplessly outside. And now, two years later, Stuart Young’s Ministry of Energy delivers yet another indignity: leaving Phillip’s body underwater, delaying his family’s closure, as if his life – and their pain – means nothing.
Young is the minister responsible. But has he shown even an ounce of compassion? Has he fought for these families? No. He has ignored them. He has turned his back on them.
This would never have happened under Kamla Persad-Bissessar. She is a leader with heart. She would have moved Heaven and Earth to bring Phillip and the Paria divers home. She would have ensured their families got justice, that they were compensated, and that those responsible were held accountable. She would have stood with them, comforted them, and helped them heal.
We need her back. We need leadership that cares about people – not someone as cold and heartless as Young.
KAMLA PHAGOO
via e-mail
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