Justice and Closure: One Million in Payment for Families Affected by Paria Diving Tragedy.
Port of Spain, Trinidad – April 3, 2025
In a landmark development, the Government of Trinidad and Tobago has announced that a payment of one million dollars will be made to each of the families of the deceased divers, as well as to the lone survivor of the Paria Fuel Trading Company Limited diving tragedy that occurred in February 2022.
The tragedy, which gripped the nation with sorrow and outrage, claimed the lives of four underwater welders—Kazim Ali Jr., Rishi Nagassar, Yusuf Henry, and Phyllicia Birbalsingh—after they became trapped in a submerged pipeline while conducting maintenance work at the Pointe-a-Pierre facility. Christopher Boodram, the sole survivor, managed to escape the pipeline and later became a critical voice in shedding light on the harrowing details of the incident.
After more than three years of investigations, court proceedings, public outcry, and advocacy by civil society and the families, the ex gratia payments were officially announced today by Minister of Energy and Energy Industries, Stuart Young, in a statement to Parliament.
“We acknowledge the immense pain and suffering endured by these families, and this payment is a step toward healing, even though no sum can replace the lives lost,” the Minister stated.
The families had long expressed frustration over the lack of accountability, slow legal processes, and the perceived indifference from both Paria Fuel Trading Company and governmental agencies. Public support for justice in the case had grown steadily over the years, with vigils, protests, and calls for reform in industrial safety practices across the nation.
The payment of one million dollars TTD to each family and to Boodram is being described as a gesture of accountability and recognition of the trauma endured, rather than a legal settlement. According to the Attorney General’s office, the funds are being disbursed through the Ministry of Social Development and Family Services under a special allocation approved by Cabinet.
Christopher Boodram, now an advocate for industrial safety reforms, expressed mixed emotions upon hearing the news.
“This doesn’t bring back my brothers… but it’s something. At least now the families can breathe a little. Maybe this means we’re finally being heard.”
The families of the deceased have also called for continued investigations, proper criminal accountability, and sweeping reform in occupational safety laws to ensure that such a tragedy never occurs again.
The announcement marks a major milestone in one of the most heartbreaking industrial tragedies in Trinidad and Tobago’s history, though for many, the road to full justice remains unfinished.