The Ministry of Energy and Energy Industries has written to the attorneys of the families of the deceased divers and survivor Christopher Boodram asking them where to send the $1 million ex-gratia payment.
Attorney Prakash Ramadhar, who represents the families of Fyzal Kurban and Yusuff Henry, shared the letter with Newsday.
Dated April 22, it read: “Please be advised that the government has approved the payment of an ex-gratia award in the sum of $1 million to the estate of Mr Fyzal Kurban, who died as a result of a diving incident on February 25, 2022 at No 36 Sealine Riser on Berth No 6 of the Paria Fuel Trading Company located in the Gulf of Paria.
“Kindly note that the payment of this ex-gratia award is not to be constructed as an admittance of any liability and wrongdoing on the part of the Ministry of Energy and Energy Industries or the government of TT.
“In this regard, the Ministry of Energy and Energy Industries is requesting information with respect to whom the payments are to be made to.”
In a video statement, Ramadhar said he was still not confident his clients would be paid.
“There are several things that come from that: there is no indication the budget has been approved, that the money is now available, and when the payment is to be made.”
He said the letter came a day after he issued a statement on April 21 saying he would begin a public countdown election to see whether the government was serious about making the payment, or whether it was an electoral ploy.
“In any event it is, because all these years, election month made the announcement of a million-dollar incentive.
“It is, to me, shameful that so long has passed, too little too late, and now after a public statement, and I assume it is because a countdown was to begin today, that we got the notification late yesterday evening. But we will take it as it is. The country will judge what has happened here and what will happen in the future.”
Ramadhar said he was waiting to see when the funds would be received.
“Until the cheque is in hand that will go into our clients’ accounts to be distributed upon the issues of the estate account being established, we shall wait to see. Don’t tell me, show me.
“We’ve written back to the Ministry of Energy indicating the cheques are to be made payable to Magnus Chambers to be held in our clients’ account for distribution, so let’s see how long it will take them to respond, if it’s before the election or if it’s the next government that must or will produce it.”
Lone survivor Christopher Boodram said his attorneys had also received a similar letter.
“We don’t have the payment. I have told my attorneys to respond. For now I don’t choose to make any further comments on it.”
On February 25, 2022, LMCS divers Kazim Ali Jr, Rishi Nagassar, Fyzal Kurban, Yusuf Henry and Christopher Boodram were repairing a 30-inch pipeline at Paria’s Pointe-a-Pierre facility when they were sucked into it by an unforeseen sudden change in pressure known as a "delta p" event. Only Boodram escaped.
Prime Minister Stuart Young announced government's intent to make a $1 million ex-gratia payment to each family and Boodram during a post-cabinet media briefing on April 3 at Whitehall, Port of Spain. He said he was making the payment because he did not want the lawyers from the insurers for Paria and LMCS to continue to frustrate the issue. He said it was the humanitarian thing to do.
