The jet-ski operator involved in a fatal collision last month that lead to the death of a teenaged visitor pleaded guilty yesterday to a slew of offences stemming from his operation of the unlicensed craft.
Appearing before Magistrate Susan Sylvester, Patrick Glinton, 41, was arraigned on the charges of operating a commercial watercraft without a valid insurance certificate, current business license and registration certificate; failing to produce a commercial watercraft to the Bahamas Port Authority; and permitting a person under 18 to take control of the watercraft.
The law stipulates that no one under the age of 18 is allowed to operate or rent a jet ski.
The South Beach Estates resident was granted a $3,500 bail.
Glinton was ordered to return to court on July 27 for sentencing.
According to police reports, William Kay, 14, was killed when a parasailing and jet-ski jaunt turned deadly in waters off a Paradise Island beach on June 27.
The New Jersey teen was taking a joy ride when the jet-ski operator collided with the parasailing vessel, it was reported. The impact caused the young tourist to suffer serious injuries from which he did not recover. He was pronounced dead on arrival at a local hospital.
The fatal accident happened weeks after parliamentarians passed legislation to strengthen regulations governing the water sports industry. Additionally, one of the provisions of the Commercial Recreational Watersports Bill allows watercraft operators to secure insurance for up to $2.5 million per claim, considered a “hard-won victory”.
The Minister responsible for transportation Glenys Hanna-Martin has also committed to bringing supplemental legislation to compel riders to act responsibly and indemnify the owners against legal penalties for a userﾒs failure to comply with an operatorﾒs instruction.
The teenaged victim of the jet-ski accident and his family were guests at the RIU Hotel and were expected to leave The Bahamas only a day after the tragedy occurred.
The daredevil operations of some water sports operators have even led to some hoteliers considering a ban on them in waters off their properties.
Another tragedy that has continued to haunt the watercraft sector is the infamous Gallagher case, in which an out-of-control banana-boat ploughed onto a Paradise Island beach years ago killing two-year-old Paul Gallagher Jr., who was asleep.
Dissatisfied with how local authorities handled the subsequent investigation into their sonﾒs death, the Gallagherﾒs have been waging a relentless effort to hold officials here accountable and effect more stringent guidelines for the operation of these water sports craft.
By: Macushla N. Pinder, The Bahama Journal
