00:00Renewed calls for the passage of the Tobago Marine Park Bill, which is yet to be debated in Parliament.
00:05These renewed calls follow yet another boating accident at the Pigeon Point Beach on Sunday, injuring 9.
00:11This time, luckily, the injuries were not life-threatening.
00:15More from Elizabeth Williams.
00:17I mean, I know there's a bill coming and it talks about things like this.
00:20It didn't actually mention this particular area, but we have to make that area a no-wake area.
00:25A no-wake means that you can't travel over a certain speed, like five knots.
00:32That would be under a no-wake area.
00:34So, to reduce any type of problem.
00:38Former Assembly member, now businessman Jerry McFarlane says the time for talk is long over.
00:44Tough measures are needed and must be enforced in and around the Booga Reef Marine Park.
00:50I think the THA and the government, including the police and the Coast Guard and so on, need to take
00:57this thing, hold this thing by its horns and deal with it seriously.
01:02Approximately nine people were injured following a collision between two pirogs on Sunday, shortly before 6 p.m.
01:09The crash occurred outside the perimeter of the Marine Park.
01:12On the shoreline was a chief surgeon at the Erica Williams Sciences Complex, Ian Ramnerine, who was on vacation.
01:20He heaped praises on the responses of lifeguards and the ambulance personnel to the incident.
01:26I was really impressed how quickly they got in there and they did what they had to do and immobilize
01:32and got people out of the water.
01:34I don't think all you can understand, to have a sick person in the water and to get them to
01:39the shore in the first place was it.
01:41And the only thing that Ravi will tell you, he was he was there with us, is that the speed
01:45at which the ambulance people came out there to look after what was going on.
01:50It was helpful for them that I was there to kind of triage and say who was more serious to
01:55move out first.
01:56Right. Because all of them had potentially very, very serious injuries.
02:00Among those injured, Camille Joseph from Bonacourt, Tobago.
02:03Her companion told TV6 News he brought her to hospital after she complained of severe chest pains following the crash.
02:11She was on board Water Junkie, owned by Waterholics.
02:15The other vessel involved was Game Changer.
02:19The other injured persons were visitors from the UK, Canada, Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago.
02:25They were all rushed to the Scarborough General Hospital, where additional medical staff were called out.
02:32Tourism Secretary Zorisha Hackett labelled the incident as unfortunate and noted legislative enforcement powers over marine zones rest with the
02:43central government rather than the Tobago House of Assembly.
02:47Ms. Hackett said, quote,
02:49The THA and PPHPL have consistently taken proactive, supportive and reasonable steps within or remit to safeguard users of the
02:59Pigeon Point Heritage Park.
03:01We will continue to strengthen our operational protocols, enforce facility guidelines, maintain appropriate signage and advocate for the stronger oversight
03:12needed to protect residents and visitors alike, end quote.
03:16According to the Division of Health, nine casualties were received for medical attention.
03:22Four persons were treated and discharged.
03:25Two persons were transferred to Trinidad for specialized care.
03:29The remaining patients continue to be treated in Tobago.
03:32The latest incident follows the death of seven-year-old Angelica Jogi on April 8th, who died after a jet
03:40ski incident at Pigeon Point.
03:42Legal action is now being pursued by Angelica's family in connection with her death.
03:48Elizabeth Williams, TV6 News.
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