A businessman who witnessed the tragic jet ski incident at Pigeon Point Heritage Park in Tobago last Wednesday says he was disappointed the paid facility was not adequately prepared to deal with the medical emergency.
Terrence Ramkellawan, owner of a security and consultancy company, said he had travelled to Tobago for the Easter weekend and was with his family at the beach when an out-of-control jet ski crossed the barrier and crashed into seven-year-old Angelica Saydee Jogie and her family.
The severely injured child was immediately pulled from the water by lifeguards, he said. The situation however quickly escalated to confusion, as responders were not equipped to handle the tragedy, he said.
“There appeared to be a lack of adequate emergency preparedness. Lifeguards seemed overwhelmed and not fully equipped to handle a trauma of this magnitude. There was no visible access to basic emergency or medical equipment. Even a doctor present on the beach was limited in providing assistance due to the absence of supplies,” he added.
Ramkellawan said police officers arrived ahead of the ambulance, which took 40 minutes to respond.
“As a father, a concerned citizen, and a regular visitor to this facility, I am deeply troubled by what I witnessed. This raises serious questions about the policies and safety measures implemented by the Tobago House of Assembly,” he said.
Ramkellawan said he was outraged by the incident, which could have been prevented if regulations were in place to prevent jet ski operators from accessing areas designated for swimming.
He questioned whether there were systems to ensure operators were not using the watercraft under the influence of alcohol or other substances.
“As a paid facility, visitors should reasonably expect properly trained emergency responders on site, immediate access to essential life-saving equipment, efficient coordination with emergency medical services and active marine security to prevent such incidents,” he said.
“The people are speaking out; from my personal experience renting a jet ski, I was not asked for any form of ID, neither was there any form issued to account for my use of the water vehicle. Many beachgoers at Pigeon Point Heritage Park are often noticeably intoxicated by alcohol and/or marijuana. Rules must be implemented to prevent such reckless beachgoers from gaining access to these water vehicles,” he said.
Ramkellawan pleaded that the death of little Angelica should not go without changes in policies. “Not after a week has passed, we move onto the next sure tragedy our country will be plagued with, but rather see progress in change and improvement in the way we operate. After the tragic death of Shem Murray, another victim of a tragic jet ski accident in February of 2018, we must now lay to rest precious angel Angelica Jogie. Surely a pattern of irresponsible behaviour and the need for stringent polices is evident,” he said.
Ramkellawan said the child’s death had highlighted a serious gap in safety enforcement and emergency preparedness. “I respectfully call for an urgent review of policies, stricter regulation of watercraft operators, and the implementation of a robust emergency response system to ensure the safety of all visitors,” he said.
