Witter

Dionne Rose, Staff Reporter

The Office of the Public Defender will be making submissions for compensation for 15 of the 16 victims who were injured when the swing bridge at Broadgate, St. Mary, collapsed.

Public Defender Earl Witter told The Gleaner yesterday that his office had completed its investigations into 15 cases and would next week invite the Attorney-General's Office to settle.

He, however, pointed out that a submission for one of the victims, 22-year-old Ann Marie Reid, would not be made at this time.

"Ann Marie received head injuries and continues to experience memory loss," he said. "Her condition will require long-term treatment and evaluation. We can't be advancing a claim at this time."

Further medical reports

Witter explained that his office would need to have further medical reports verifying the doctor's prognosis regarding long-term recovery.

"Though she has been discharged from the hospital, she continues to be under patient care at the hospital," Witter stressed.

While declining to say what compensation package his office would be filing, Witter said he was confident that the State would settle with the 15 persons.

"In the event that it is not possible to settle with them, then there will be litigation," he told The Gleaner. "Whether it be the parish council or the National Works Agency, that was responsible for the bridge maintenance, either way, the State bares liability."

Sixteen persons were seriously injured on February 11 when the large swing bridge, which links Broadgate and Mahoe Hill in St. Mary, suddenly collapsed into the river below. At least 19 persons were on the bridge at the time. The residents were returning from a football match when the incident occurred.

Who is responsible?

Since its collapse, the National Works Agency (NWA) and the parish council have been at odds over who is responsible for the maintenance of the bridge.

Yesterday, Harry Douglas, Member of Parliament for St. Mary South Eastern, said a contract for $21 million had been awarded to Nakash Construction Company to build a new bridge in the area.

"This bridge will be able to accommodate cars, but no trucks, a feature the old bridge did not have," he said in a release. At the same time, river training will be undertaken by the NWA. The work is scheduled to begin next week.

dionne.rose@gleanerjm.com