Close to three months since the Ministry of Labour launched an investigation into the death of Cindy Jattan, who was crushed to death while on duty at the Gafoors Hardware Store at Land of Canaan on the East Bank of Demerara (EBD), it is yet to conclude its report.
On several occasions, Stabroek News had contacted the Ministry’s Occupational Health and Safety Consultant Gweneth King, who regularly noted that the investigation was still underway and that it was expected to be “completed soon.” When contacted last Tuesday, she noted that the ministry is “in the process of finalizing the report.”
Further efforts were also made to contact the Minister of Labour but calls to his phone went unanswered. At a media briefing, the Minister, Joseph Hamilton had said that the investigation will reveal if the accident could have been avoided.
On August 26th, the 30-year-old Jattan, who was employed as a bond clerk at the store, met her demise when a wooden rack with a variety of hardware materials and equipment fell from above her working area and pinned her to the ground. It was said that the rack was approximately 4 feet above the woman’s working station.
