Minister of Human Services and Social Security Jennifer Webster on Wednesday presented cheques of $20,000 each to the three spouses of the missing crew and cargo members of the Oliver L as the first step in a series of government aid that they would benefit from.
Webster and Minister of Public Works Robeson Benn met the women to distribute the cheques and to find out if they had been getting any assistance from the operator of the vessel Johnny Ramdass and they said that they had not received any support.
According to a Government Information Agency (GINA) press release, Webster told the women that the ministry would be providing the cheques for three months and that their names would be added to the single-parent database. In addition, those who are unemployed would benefit from public assistance depending on the ages of their children.
The women were also offered the opportunity to be trained under the single-parent training programme so that they can eventually provide for themselves. Sherry Hartman, wife of Captain Wexton Andrews, took up the offer of being trained in cosmetology.
According to GINA, the Oliver L which is registered in the name of Raymond Lord, has been missing since December 25, 2011. It was manned by Wexton Andrews and its crew comprised seamen Ramdat Roopnarine and Clad Burnett. The Oliver L left Trinidad on December 21 destined for Port Georgetown, Guyana and was expected to arrive here on Christmas Eve Day. It never arrived.
Additional time was allotted due to adverse weather and a new arrival time was calculated to be December 26, latest.
On learning that the vessel was missing, Benn and officials from other agencies initiated a search with assistance from the Trinidadian and Venezuelan Coastguard.
