Attorney Sidney Collie is not the only one shifting his plans into high gear to sue government agencies after the recent report of the Wreck Commission.
Edward Turner, attorney for families of the three victims of the Williemae Pratt Center October 24, 2003 fire has also revealed plans to take similar action, after a verdict was handed down in the inquest this past Thursday, which ruled in his clientsﾴ favor.
Pleased with the outcome, Mr. Turner yesterday told The Bahama Journal that ﾓimmediatelyﾒ after the tragedy occurred, he filed a suit against the Attorney Generalﾴs Office and the Ministry of Social Services.
Now that the Coronerﾴs inquest into the matter has been concluded, he said, serious discussions on the issue can resume.
ﾓTo date the discussions are very friendly and hopefully, we will arrive at an amicable solution to the problem,ﾒ he explained.
ﾓWe are suing for a monetary settlement. We are trying to get the families – particularly the survivor of the incident ﾖ in a position had the incident not happened. Unfortunately for the two deceased, the monetary reward would be limitedﾅ.In the case of the survivor, we are hoping to receive compensation for medical treatment, hospital expenses, pain and suffering and disfigurement.ﾒ
Two girls ﾖ Anastacia Alexander, 15, and Deshawn Bassett Ingraham, 13 ﾖ died as a result of the blaze that ripped through a dormitory at the Fox Hill facility.
A third girl, Shantia Minnis, although severely burned, survived the October 26, 2003 blaze at the Fox Hill facility. Two others, who had escaped, were caught two weeks later.
During the inquest, jurors heard evidence indicating that the fire was a plan hatched by four of the girls, who were hoping to escape the institution.
In fact, Dr. Francine Pinder had testified that a single unused match was found in the underwear of Ms. Alexander, who suffered 35 to 40 percent burns about the body.
But throughout the inquest, family members of the victims maintained that someone other than the girls intentionally set the fire.
After a two-hour deliberation, the six-woman, one-man jury came back with the unanimous verdict that the deaths of two of the Centerﾴs inmatesﾴ were the result of an accident with contribution of neglect, one of only three possible verdicts that could have been determined from the case.
According to Coroner William Campbell, Ms. Alexander and Ms. Ingrahamﾴs deaths could have simply been determined accidents, accidents contributed to by neglect or the result of neglect, which he defined as the failure of the Centerﾴs guardians to provide the necessary care and attention.
Shortly after the tragedy, the government had appointed a Committee to review operations at the Simpson Penn Center for Boys and the Williemae Pratt Center for Girls.
Headed by Anglican Archbishop Drexel Gomez, the Committee is now expected to make recommendations to further enhance the lives of the residents of both facilities.
Meanwhile in an interview with The Bahama Journal on Thursday attorney Collie said he would immediately file a statement of claim for damages and injuries suffered by his client Gayle Roker.
Ms. Roker was seriously injured in a boating accident off Eleuthra, which resulted in the deaths of four people
The report found various parties culpable, including the captains of the Sea Hauler mail boat and the United Star barge and the Port Department.
