The management of Bequia Express Company on Wednesday described as “nobody’s business” an incident on one of its ferries on Sunday that left injured a 16-year-old male who has not been able to eat properly for days.
“But that ain’t nobody business to put in any paper. I don’t think that is any business of yours,” Ashley Ollivierre of Bequia Express Company told I-Witness News in response to a request for a comment about the incident.
Told that someone injured in the incident had called it to the attention of I-Witness News, Ollivierre said, “Well, they are supposed to call me and I would talk to my lawyer.
“I don’t think that is anybody’s business.
“Accidents happen all the time. Those things happen all the time. It’s a vessel. So — Anyway, me can’t talk about that right now,” Ollivierre said by telephone.
Bequia Express III was about to dock at the Grenadines Pier in Port Kingstown when it slammed into the pier, causing persons to fall to the deck, 16-year-old Jonathan Roy Bacchus, of Diamond, told I-Witness News via social media and telephone.
“As it was docking, it was approaching at rather high speed, and it crashed into the harbour,” Bacchus said of the incident, which occurred between 5:30 and 5:40 p.m. on Sunday.
Bacchus said he hit his mouth against his friend’s head and his mouth started to bleed.
His friend, on the other hand, hit his own head against the boat, Bacchus told I-Witness News.
“As I looked around, there were other people who had fallen off their seats and were rolling on the floor,” he said.
A nurse who was on board the ferry provided him with first aid and summoned an ambulance that took him to Milton Cato Memorial Hospital, Bacchus told I-Witness News.
“The captain didn’t come out until some time after. There were people who were trying to get off, although the ramp wasn’t fully down. After it (the ferry) hit the harbour, it catapulted back out into the deep. That’s how strong the impact was,” Bacchus recounted.
“He (the captain) came out sometime later and said he tried to stop the boat as it was reversing, but it accelerated and he doesn’t know what caused that.”
Bacchus told I-Witness News that he was unable to speak immediately after the incident and has had problems eating since.
“The nurse called an ambulance, they arrived shortly after and load me onto it and carried me to the hospital — me and my friend. And after that, I don’t remember anything else. I think I must have passed out. I am trying to remember. I can’t I hit my head pretty badly,” said the teenager who was discharged from hospital Sunday night.
“I still have a head ache. I can talk a little bit better than I could yesterday (Sunday). My face is still swollen, but it is going down slowly,” Bacchus told I-Witness News.
The management of the Bequia Express must understand that St. Vincent and the Grenadines is a nation of laws. If there are acts of negligence by the Captain or crew it must be brought to light. Accidents do happen, however the captain of the vessel has a responsibility for the safe passage of the passenger and crew. As a matter of fact their should be an investigation by the coastguard to determine the circumstances surrounding the accident.
This is a very unfortunate incident and from the report in the above, it appears as though this type of accidents occur on a consistent basis. The injuried party and or injuried parties can commence civil litigation for damages for negligence,reckless behaviour on the company, emotional and physical pain, as a result of negligence on the part of the boat company, its agents, and employees.
Criminal charges may be also be brought and or there must be the some ministerial and government ministry that investigate this type of behaviour.
The Ferry company must have liability insurance to cover this type of damages, as and when should be required by law. Some food for stimulating discussions, in exploring our rights and responsibilities.
Again, in St.Vincent and the Grenadines, they love to sue for Slander and Libel to silence the truth and constructive criticism. My beautiful SVG, is in need of a serious LAW REFORM to bring politicians and those who believe that they are above the law to justice and to be penalized accordingly.
I am confident that when there is a Prime Minister Ricardo Francis of St.Vincent and the Grenadines, the political and legal landscape will be more justified in serving the interest of all Vincentians.
I wish the young man and any and all others who may have sustained any form of injuries a very speedy recovery.
God Bless Our Beautiful St.Vincent and the Grenadines and Happy Holidays!!!
Always,
Ricardo Francis, Prime Minister of St.Vincent and the Grenadines, in the Waiting and the Making.
Ii seems that this situation warrants the police investigation. Is this happening? The culture in SVG got to change. ONE LOVE NOT HATE….
Wow, Everytime I think SVG can’t get any worst I am set straight. These guys run a ferry service and it is their job to transport people if not on time, at least in a safe way. We have every right to know what happened to this boy on your boat, or we are left to speculate. But that’s how it goes in SVG these days, even the government is telling us the way our money is spent is none of our business. Lawd have Mercy on us.
Ouch…Your providing a public service, and its not the public’s business to know about matters that involve them. Who died and made this man Prime Minster.
Anywhere else in the world and your operating license is suspended until a full investigation is carried out …But lawd this country have no laws.
Mr.Olliviere,.There is a saying, “ignorance is a curse”.. and one can see that you don’t know better
How about an engineers report certifying the ship is fit, serviceable and safe after such a violent collision?
As for prosecutions, the captain could well become a national hero in SVG, this Marxist Monster Party have all the rules of law arse about face. Black is white, white is black, up is down. down is up, good is bad, bad is good, hate is love, love is hate, rape is a kiss on the neck, an unwanted kiss on the neck is affection.
How can we expect more from our youth? chuck out all these scientific socialists and restart the old fashioned decency that we had before they took power.
Peter Binose I love your question about an engineer’s report. You made a turn when you said other things. ONE LOVE NOT HATE…..