Grieving sister hits Govt

THE weeping sister of Kenneth Merrique, who died days after a gas explosion at a Trinmar offshore platform, launched a stinging attack on the Government during his funeral service yesterday, saying Government had found money to give to other countries, but could not see about the local health sector. “Why aren’t there any trauma centres in this country?” asked a weeping Merle Julien, sister of the dead man, as she took the podium of the Open Bible Church on Ruth Avenue, San Fernando. “They find money to give to other countries, governments and people, but they could not find the money to see about Kenneth’s health,” Julien said, as she made reference to Prime Minister Patrick Manning’s gesture of money and relief items to several hurricane-ravaged Caribbean islands, including Grenada and Jamaica.

Merrique, 55, died last Thursday, after a grim battle by doctors to save his life. He was the most seriously injured out of a dozen workers carrying out repairs on the platform, when the explosion occurred on August 25. Julien, an American citizen who works as a medical social worker at the Trauma Centre of the Brookdale Hospital in Brooklyn, New York, vented her feelings and continued her attack on the Government, saying the Trinidad and Tobago health system had “failed tremendously.” “Why couldn’t they rent a portable ventilator so they could have taken Kenneth elsewhere for treatment? If this was done, he would have been alive today — paralysed maybe, but still living,” Julien cried.

She then challenged the packed church to speak out on behalf of Merrique and to approach their respective Government representatives, councillors, Members of Parlia-ment and others in authority to get the local health system improved. Julien said a trauma centre was definitely needed in this country which has a thriving energy industry. “With a trauma centre available, a Merrique incident would not occur in the future,” she said Julien also revealed that one of her close relatives had approached a top Petrotrin official for assistance to have Merrique get better medical treatment, but was flatly turned away. Julien added that her brother was a very good-natured person, well liked and very dedicated to his job. She said he did not deserve the treatment he got from Trinmar.

President of the Trinmar Branch of the OWTU, Ancil Roget, speaking with Newsday after the funeral service, launched his own attack on State-owned Petrotrin, saying the company did not give Merrique a “fighting chance at survival.” He also said there was definitely a lack of humanity by the company and other parties involved indirectly. Roget said if Trinmar was a separate entity from State-owned Petrotrin, there was a big possibility that circumstances would have been different. He recommended the Point Fortin District Hospital be fully equipped with a trauma centre to treat persons with similar injuries like that of Merrique, especially since the southern area is heavily industrialised, with Atlantic LNG, Trinmar and others. After the service, which was officiated by Pastor Henry Armoogam, Merrique was buried at the Paradise Public Cemetery.