Investigators quiz blaze victims in US

By RASHAD ROLLE

Tribune Staff Reporter

rrolle@tribunemedia.net

INVESTIGATORS have travelled to the United States to interview victims of the June Four C's boat explosion in Exuma that left a woman dead and two others with amputated limbs, according to press secretary Anthony Newbold.

He could not give more details about the status of the investigation.

Four C's was involved in the incident in Barraterre on June 30 in which an American woman, Maleka Jackson, died. Her husband Tiran Jackson lost one of his legs while another woman, Sefanie Schaffer, lost two limbs. The tour company has since been ordered to cease operations until the investigation has been completed. Schaffer's family has since raised $167,415 to cover her medical expenses through GoFundMe. The family of Mr Jackson has raised $149,180 on that platform to cover his expenses.

Mr Newbold was unable to say yesterday if any of the victims have initiated legal action against the government or Four C's.

"The last thing we are aware of, (investigators) travelled to Georgia where the victims of the accident live," he said. "They've gone there to interview them but that is the last thing we know about where that is."

During yesterday's press conference Mr Newbold separately noted that renovations have not yet started on the new post office building on Gladstone Road.

"The minister of works who has carriage of this, they're presently preparing construction drawings for the building," he said, referring to the Phil's Food Services building. "They're also awaiting the structural engineers report on that building and once that's done the quantity surveyors will have a look at it. At that point you talk about actual numbers and the process as it is now could run into November before you actually see anything physically happening with that building."

At its current location, the General Post Office has been plagued with issues for years, suffering from mould and a broken air-conditioning system. For many months postal workers have worked shortened shifts at their East Hill Street location because of the "hazardous" conditions.

Last year, Bahamas Chamber of Commerce CEO Edison Sumner said the shortened work hours were a "pretty vexing issue" for a number of businesses.

Comments

John says...

All indicators point to sabotage

Posted 5 September 2018, 4:52 p.m. Suggest removal

concernedcitizen says...

no they don,t ,,The boat was damaged badly about a month before .An engine was torn half off , repairs were made but the floor was not removed to check the fuel tanks ,, the sip sip was the boat was not susposed to be fully fueled b/c of problems .If you prefer to believe that it was not bad decesions and negligence , but you believe we as a people are bomb making murderers that's on you ,,the first scenario says something about us as seaman ,,the second ,which you propose says even worse about us as people ..

Posted 5 September 2018, 6:59 p.m. Suggest removal

hrysippus says...

John. you all still getting cable there at Sandilands, eh?

Posted 5 September 2018, 10:04 p.m. Suggest removal

truetruebahamian says...

Their insurance should have had all contingencies in effect including this. Neither they nor their insurers can afford to try and duck their responsibilities.

Posted 5 September 2018, 6:41 p.m. Suggest removal

Groidal says...

All indicators point to criminal negligence and extreme incompetence

Posted 6 September 2018, 6:06 a.m. Suggest removal

DDK says...

"During yesterday's press conference Mr Newbold separately noted that renovations have not yet started on the new post office building on Gladstone Road."

Tribune, if this tidbit about the post office was "separately noted", should the reporter not have bothered to come up with a separate caption. The post office debacle has nothing whatsoever to do with the investigation of the boat tragedy. Either I am missing something or The Tribune is attempting to conserve space.

Posted 6 September 2018, 1:37 p.m. Suggest removal

sucteeth says...

Another example of why this country is doomed. Reporters too lazy or dumb to start another article. Third grade edumacation at best .. lol

Posted 6 September 2018, 2:12 p.m. Suggest removal

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