The Ministry of Labour has launched an investigation into the death of the Barama labourer whose remains were found in a wood shredder he operated at the company’s Buckhall operation while the father of the young man is insisting that his son was murdered.
An officer from the ministry confirmed that an investigation has been launched and preliminary results are likely to be made know today.
The remains of Jason Fraser, 19, of Cane Field Village, Canje, Berbice were pulled last Thursday from a wood shredding machine, three days after he went missing.
The young man has since been laid to rest but his father, James Fraser, still believes that things do not add up. Fraser had told this newspaper that he believes his son was killed and placed inside the machine.
The man said last week he visited the operation where his son worked and from his observations “it’s impossible” for his son to have passed through the shredder. He pointed out that the conveyor belt which led to the shredder was slow moving and even if his son had fell on the belt and was knocked unconscious the his son’s head would not have been able to pass through the inch and a half slot that the wood passes to get to the shredder.
Fraser added that from what he saw when he visited the Buckhall operation there were clearly safety issues. He said that for his son to access the switch which turned the shredder on and off he had to cross the conveyor belt.
Fraser remembered when his son was found in the shredder, he was able to see about 40-60 pounds of minced meat with “half a palm and fingers” before the stench made him turn away.
Further, Fraser pointed out that his son’s gear, working clothes and boots, were missing from his room. He said he found this “strange”. Fraser is calling for the supervisor and others who were in charge during the shift his son disappeared to be “questioned in detail” by the police.
Yesterday, Fraser said that “this thing got me in shock. Like I suh confused me head hurting.” He added that he had visited the Buckhall office to take in the death certificate of his son but was told that talks on the way forward in relation to compensation will have to be put on hold until next week when investigations into his son’s death are completed.
Jason Fraser was reported missing by his friends last Monday afternoon, some time after he completed the day shift. Searches were carried out at several locations within the work compound but yielded no result.
Around 7 am last Thursday, Fraser’s co-workers, while operating a shredding machine (used to shred unused wood) observed that the contents of the machine “were backing up”. An official at the company noted that a foul odour emanated at the back of the machine and blood was later seen close to the area.
It was then suspected that the man’s remains were in the machine and the police as well as the teen’s parents were called in. When the lawmen arrived, the machine was opened in the presence of the man’s brother and colleagues and their worst fears were confirmed.