By AVA TURNQUEST
Tribune Staff Reporter
aturnquest@tribunemedia.net
AT LEAST two Chinese workers have died at the Baha Mar construction site since its groundbreaking in 2011, Works Minister Brave Davis said yesterday.
Mr Davis admitted that very little was known about incidents at the site of the $3.4 billion resort, adding that his ministry is aggressively searching for an occupational safety expert to act as a watchdog for industrial practices.
“We are very concerned,” Mr Davis said, “anecdotally we have been hearing about these things.”
Mr Davis said: “In respect to deaths at Baha Mar, my ministry confirmed that there have been at least two deaths on the site. The issue of occupational safety on construction job sites has been a major concern of the ministry, especially over the last six months.”
Mr Davis confirmed the deaths during his remarks at the official opening of the Airport Gateway Project, where he held a moment of silence for two workers who had died during the construction of the dual-lane highway.
Tyson Miller, a 23-year-old employee of Knowles Construction, died after he lost his balance and fell from a Mack trailer bed in January.
In May, a 48-year-old man died after he was electrocuted from contact with a BEC overhead line while driving a dump truck.
Mr Davis said: “We are aggressively trying to recruit an occupational safety person for the ministry who will be charged with the responsibility of going around to these job sites to ensure that proper systems of work are in place to avoid danger to the workers on these sites.”
The Royal Bahamas Police Force does not keep a record of work-related or accidental deaths, according to Superintendent Stephen Dean yesterday.
Mr Dean explained that accidental or “industrial” deaths are only reported to the press when “it is something really significant”.
He said: “I don’t know if anybody records that information, I can’t tell you which agency would have that. We have all kinds of accidental deaths that happen in the country.”
Comments
John 10 years, 6 months ago
Thought the police was supposed to be called in on the event of any sudden, accidental or unusual death. Then a full report should be supplied and if necessary and inquest held.
TalRussell 10 years, 6 months ago
Where are Minnis, Loretta, Darron and Chipman when real things need be exposed? Well that'll be the day when the red shirts ever tell the Chinese goodbye?
B_I_D___ 10 years, 6 months ago
I'm surprised there are only 2 deaths in the span of 2 years with the number of people working on the project and the magnitude of the construction being done. Really don't think it is something to get alarmed about.
ThisIsOurs 10 years, 6 months ago
Doesn't someone have to rule the death accidental? I can't imagine that someone just dies on the job, the family gets the body and that's the end of it...that's really weird statement from the police...he must have been misquoted...
bloody1967 10 years, 6 months ago
Those 2 Individuals were NOT CHINESE , MR,Editor please edit befor you go to press
TalRussell 10 years, 6 months ago
OMG now someone is saying not Chinese but maybe local. Maybe since they were "just" locals there really was NO need to inform the government of their Sudden Deaths? From day one I had asked how many Government Safety and Heath Inspectors would there be on Baha Mar's site? Now, we need to know how many of the 8100 Chinese Nationals actually (a). Left Bahamaland Voluntarily? (b). Were Deported? (c). Been given New/Extended Work Permits? (d). Applied for Residency Permits. (e). Simply Disappeared off Immigration's Radar Screen? (f). In or was In Prison? (g). Facing or Had Faced Criminal Charges? (h). Is/Was Hospitalized at the Expense of Bahamaland's Government? (i). Received Government Social Assistance? (j). Number of Children Born To Chinese Nationals Here On Work Permits? (k). How many Physical Inspections did the government perform at the "sealed off" Living Quarters of the thousands of Chinese Nationals?
Puzzled 10 years, 6 months ago
None of you have read the story!
You just keep on proving them right!
There were FOUR deaths, 2 at Baha Mar and the other 2 on the airport road construction crews.
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