SIX months after a fire at NiQuan Energy Trinidad Ltd's (NETL) Pointe-a-Pierre claimed the life of Allanlane Ramkissoon, his family are still seeking closure especially after Government said it could not release to the public, a report on the incident which claimed his life.

“If you are not at liberty to make the report public, at least let the family know how he died, so there could be closure,” cried Allanlane's sister Ruth Gobin, during an interview with Newsday on Christmas Day.

Ramkissoon, 35, suffered burns to 60 per cent of his body in the June incident at NETL. He died three days later, on June 18, while being treated in the US.

Ramkissoon was a pipe fitter employed with Massy Energy Engineered Solutions Ltd (MEES) which was contracted by NETL to carry work on the gas-to-liquids plant.

Several investigations were initiated by the Ministry of Energy, the Occupational Safety and Health Agency (OSHA), and NiQuan. The plant was also temporarily shut down by OSHA.

In the Senate last week, Trade and Industry Minister Paula Gopee-Scoon – speaking on behalf of Energy Minister Stuart Young – in response to a question asked by Opposition Senator Wade Mark, said the report on the NiQuan accident will not be laid in Parliament, as the matter is sub-judice.

Mark has asked about the laying of the root cause analysis (RCA) report on the incident in Parliament.

Gopee-Scoon said the report was commissioned by NiQuan Energy Trinidad Ltd, a private company and as such, it (the report) is not the property of the Energy Ministry, but rather is subject to the control of NETL with respect to its circulation and distribution.

“The ministry is not at liberty to disclose the contents of the report nor its authors, as to do so would open the ministry to liability and potential litigation," she said.

During the telephone interview on Monday, Gobin cried several times as she spoke of the family's struggle to cope with Ramkissoon's untimely death especially in the face of silence from NiQuan and the Government as the circumstances surrounding the fatal incident.

[caption id="attachment_1052160" align="alignnone" width="1024"] DEEP SORROW: Ruth Gobin screams at the funeral for her brother Allanlane Ramkissoon who was killed during a fire at his workplace, NiQuan Energy Trinidad Ltd in Pointe-a-Pierre. File photo by Lincoln Holder[/caption]

She recalled that Allanlane was the first one at their family’s Barrackpore home on Christmas mornings to bring presents for their parents Danny and Christine Ramkissoon. He would always get a new dress for his mother to wear to Church on Christmas morning.

“She got a new dress, but it was just not the same this year. All the children are gathered at the family home, like we normally do for Christmas lunch, but this year there was sadness and emptiness. There was not joy,” Gobin said.

She recalled that following Ramkissoon’s death, Minister Young had promised transparency in the investigation and assured there would be no cover-up.

“Now we are hearing something different.