Venezuelan national killed in freak accident on artificial island

A Venezuelan national was killed on Saturday following a freak accident at the Vreed-en-Hoop Shore Base, the artificial island that is being constructed in the estuary of the Demerara River.
The dead man has been identified as 37-year-old Rusbel Jesus Rengar Azocar.
A release from the Vreed-en-Hoop Shore Base Inc on Sunday stated that about 18:40h on Saturday, there was an industrial accident at the shore base which resulted in the death of a foreign national who was employed with a sub-contractor.

“The Police and immediate family were informed. An investigation has been launched and work at the facility was suspended,” the release stated.
When contacted for a comment, one of the directors of the Vreed-en-Hoop Shore Base Inc, Nicholas Boyer related that when additional information was provided to the company, it would subsequently release such. At the time of the interview via phone, he confirmed that the deceased was a Venezuelan national, but could not provide a name.
He confirmed, too, that the dead man was not directly contracted by Vreed-en-Hoop Shore Base Inc while noting that the family has met with the contractor on the way forward.
When prompted for details surrounding the fatal accident, Boyer could not provide any, but stated that Vreed-en-Hoop Shore Base Inc regretted the unfortunate loss of life and offered the family its condolences and support.
When contacted, Labour Minister Joseph Hamilton stated that he was only made aware of the accident after he was contacted by another section of the media after which an officer was dispatched to investigate.
Police have since stated that on the day in question, Azocar, a health and safety worker, was placing safety cones and danger tape around a hole as a signal to warn others of the hazard, but, unfortunately, fell into the hole himself.
“The hole had water several feet in depth. Azocar, who was found in the hole facing head down, presumably drowned. Some witnesses activated the emergency response immediately, but unfortunately, Azocar could not be rescued in time by his emergency response colleagues,” Police stated.
Only a few days ago, 66-year-old Lennox McPherson was killed while working at a sandpit operated by the Guyana Shield Resources Inc at Dora on the Linden-Soesdyke- Highway.
It was reported that McPherson had momentarily left his bulldozer to converse with the excavator operator when the excavator operator allegedly had suddenly activated his machine, and the swinging bucket had inadvertently struck Lennox, resulting in the fatal injuries he sustained.
In 2023, the Labour Ministry recorded a total of 20 workplace deaths owing to accidents in the mining, construction, agriculture and manufacturing sectors. Of the 20 deaths recorded, nine occurred in the mining sector in Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) while six were recorded in the construction sector.
The Ministry also recorded 175 non-fatal accidents, out of the 577 reports received, and those were investigated. Most of the reports emanated from the agriculture and manufacturing sectors.
Nine hundred and fifty inspections were conducted at workplaces across the 10 administrative regions, and more than 8000 workers were directly impacted. In instances where breaches of the Occupational Safety and Health Act were identified, the Labour Ministry offered written and verbal advice.
In 2020, there were 32 workplace deaths; in 2021, that number decreased to 27; and in 2022, there were 21 deaths.