By RASHAD ROLLE
Tribune Staff Reporter
rrolle@tribunemedia.net
FOUR C’s Adventures, the tour company involved in a fatal boating accident in Exuma two weeks ago, has resumed operations after the government issued a cease and desist order it said would be in place until the accident investigation is complete.
When The Tribune called the company yesterday and last week, a customer service representative confirmed the company has resumed its tours and is making bookings. It is understood operations resumed on July 11.
Whether this means the accident investigation is complete is unclear. Neither the company’s owner, Clayton Patterson Smith, nor his lawyer, Elliot Lockhart, have been told the latest developments, they said yesterday.
Transport and Local Government Minister Renward Wells has not responded to The Tribune’s questions about what the company’s resumption of operations means for the status of the accident investigation. This newspaper has also been unable to reach the port controller, with phone calls to the Port Department often going unanswered.
During a press conference on July 2, then Transport Minister Frankie Campbell, said: “I wish to advise that the investigation into this matter is underway... Due to the nature of this incident, the acting controller of the Port Department, Commander Raymond King, in collaboration with the Exuma Port Authority Board has issued an immediate cease and desist order in respect of this company, and it is prevented from undertaking any operations at this time, pending the completion of the Port Department’s investigation.”
Yesterday, when asked if the investigation into the accident is complete, Mr Smith told The Tribune: “I haven’t heard anything. I haven’t gotten the all clear.”
His lawyer, Mr Lockhart, QC, said he knew nothing about a cease and desist order, adding the government lacks “the power to shut him down.”
“They shut him down relative to one boat as far as I’m concerned,” he said. “Nobody has the authority to shut him down vis a vis his other boats which are all properly licenced and certified. You think the government wants to pay damages? Because I would sue in a hurry.”
The June 30 incident resulted in the death of an American woman, Maleka Jackson, and led two other people to suffer amputation of limbs. These included Mrs Jackson’s husband Tyran Jackson and another visitor, Stefanie Schaffer. Up to press time last night, the family of Ms Schaffer, the double amputee, had raised $158,869 on GoFundMe to take care of her expenses. The family of Mr Jackson had raised $143,923.
Comments
DDK 5 years, 9 months ago
"The government issued a cease and desist order it said would be in place until the accident investigation is complete." So, is the investigation complete? If so what are the results? SOMEONE MUST KNOW. Unbelievable.
"His lawyer, Mr Lockhart, QC, said he knew nothing about a cease and desist order, adding the government lacks “the power to shut him down.” They shut him down relative to one boat as far as I’m concerned,” he said. “Nobody has the authority to shut him down vis a vis his other boats which are all properly licenced and certified. You think the government wants to pay damages? Because I would sue in a hurry.”
Callous people. Quite unbelievable.
Well_mudda_take_sic 5 years, 9 months ago
Lockhart QC is just telling Minnis MD that he has a much bigger *ick than the dimwitted Doc. And he's probably right.
themessenger 5 years, 9 months ago
You're showing the same level of intelligence that You Know who I is Lockhart has displayed recently. The responsibility for investigating this incident rests with the Ministry of Transport and the Port Authority and has absolutely nothing to do with Minnis.
Well_mudda_take_sic 5 years, 9 months ago
You're so right.....I forgot Minnis as PM has little to do with matters of such national importance....after all, the collective responsibility of himself and his fellow cabinet ministers should not apply here and therefore he should not be overly concerned with a U.S. visitor's loss of life and the maiming and disfigurement of another 9 or 10 U.S. visitors in the very same gruesome incident. Get real!
themessenger 5 years, 9 months ago
You have allowed your obsession with Lockhart's dick and your own well known personal hard on for Minnis to further muddle your already muddled thought process. Interference in independent investigations by the Prime Ministers office has led us to where we are, BAMSI, LOI,PHA the list is long............
Well_mudda_take_sic 5 years, 9 months ago
It's Minnis's small *ick that most of us are worried about. He promised to wield a big stick to make the more important changes necessary to right our seriously listing national ship. But so far he has been waving a small stick, some would say a twig! Case in point - he would rather tax us to death than tighten the belt of our grossly bloated and largely nonproductive civil work force. He seems unable to hold the ministers in his cabinet accountable for anything of great public import - other than increasing our taxes!
Sickened 5 years, 9 months ago
Surely one must have a government issued license to operate a tour company? It can't be as simple as buying a boat, buying some sort of insurance (maybe just regular boat insurance), paying the annual boat license fee (maybe $100) and advertising? Tell me this isn't so!!!
ashley14 5 years, 9 months ago
It won't be a popular excursion. No regard for safety. This isn't the end of this story. I expect some big time lawyers to take this on.
sheeprunner12 5 years, 9 months ago
Will the public ever get an answer to what happened with that tour boat explosion .......... from the Government????? .............. What would Renward say????????
rawbahamian 5 years, 9 months ago
The Givernment doesn't have the power!!! Well if they don't, then please tell us who does Mr. Q.C. Who issues the licenses ?
Porcupine 5 years, 9 months ago
Are there ever really tangible results of investigations here? Plane crash in Andros? Boating accident in Exuma? Anywhere? An investigation simply means we will never get the real story. The video of Mr. Lockhart in the airport said it all as to the level of integrity we are dealing with here.
ashley14 5 years, 9 months ago
The government does have the power. People were injured and one killed. They should have a department that investigates and make sure the reason it happens is prevented from happening again. If you blow this off it's not different than the murderer walking free to do it again. All lives do matter.
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