FREEPORT, Grand Bahama – Employees angrily demanded answers to the tragedy, and charged government officials with “paying lip service” to reported problems at the property.
Wendell Maxxam, 33, was killed in the explosion, which occurred while he worked aboard a vessel.
Police officials were called into the shipyard several hours after the explosion to control irate workers, who argued with government officials at the scene and insisted that the weekend incident was caused by protracted safety problems at that property.
For some time now, employees of the shipyard have agitated for numerous changes at the property, including improved safety provisions.
Some workers shouted at Minister of Tourism Obie Wilchcombe, expressing disgust over what they say is the government’s “blatant disregard” for the plight of workers at the shipyard.
Three workers had to physically restrain and remove one of their colleagues from the group of angry men, as his behavior reached an almost uncontrollable peak.
“You can’t put someone on a fuel tank to work where you know there are flammable substances on board. They [shipyard management] are responsible for that man’s death,” shouted one angry worker.
“He (Mr. Maxxam) is a Bahamian and he died stupidly. And furthermore we as Bahamians are welding in tanks with fuel and so what happens if the tank explodes? Everyone in that tank will die! If this accident had happened on a weekday, many more of us would have died.”
According to Shipyard CEO Chris Milman, the barge on which Mr. Maxxam was working at the time of the explosion was used to store “slopswater”, which is water that contains oil and other chemicals.
He told reporters Saturday that the barge was emptied of the slopswater and tests confirmed that the barge was safe for the commencement of the welding.
But he then stated that the barge might have still contained oil or other flammables on board when the welding began.
When The Bahama Journal questioned Mr. Milman on the supposed safety of the barge, he admitted that he had not seen the paperwork that would indicate whether the barge was in fact safe to weld.
The Journal also questioned Mr. Milman on how a barge that might have contained oil could have passed a safety test.
“No, I cannot [explain that], that is obviously the main thrust of the investigation that is ongoing as we speak,” he said.
Workers at the scene complained that safety mangers at the property are not being given the authority to cancel work orders if they feel the environment is unsafe.
They also claimed that management threatens the jobs of workers, if they express a desire to stop work they deem unsafe.
Further, employees alleged that shipyard officials have on some occasions asked employees to participate in improper waste disposal practices.
They also maintained that hazardous waste is being permitted to spill un-checked onto the grounds of the shipyard.
These are all complaints that have been levied for some time now.
But as in previous interviews, Mr. Milman categorically denied to the Journal all of the employees claims, and said that many of the comments made were perhaps done so “in the heat of the moment.”
Grand Bahama Port Authority Workers Union President Harold Grey told the Bahama Journal Saturday that he has consistently complained about the unsafe working conditions at the Shipyard.
He lamented over the recent strike vote taken by Shipyard employees, stating that although 65 percent of those who voted did so in favor of a strike, Labour and Immigration Minister Vincent Peet never certified the vote.
“In my opinion, the government is just as responsible for Wendell Maxaam’s death as the company is,” he said.
“My men want to do something, but we haven’t gotten our strike certificate and I don’t want them to do anything illegal.”
Minister of Transport and Aviation Glenys Hanna-Martin traveled to Grand Bahama to visit the accident site.
She told reporters that her Ministry is now in a wait and see mode regarding the results of investigations into Saturday’s incident.
By Sharon Williams, The Bahama Journal
