PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad — Another Jamaican jurist, Jerome Lynch, QC, has been approved by the Cabinet in Trinidad to head the probe that will look into the circumstances surrounding the deaths of four divers who were working on an underwater crude oil pipeline in Trinidad in March.

This follows the resignation of fellow Jamaican, Justice Dennis Morrison, QC.

READ: Jamaican jurist to lead Commission of Enquiry into divers’ deaths

Confirming the news on Friday, Energy and Energy Industries Minister Stuart Young said Morrison cited personal reasons for his departure and confirmed the change is not expected to affect the timeline of proceedings.

He said Lynch was a qualified attorney who came highly recommended and was optimistic that he would be able to keep the deadlines set for the commission.

“One of the discussions I had with him (Lynch) before he undertook the task, subject to Cabinet’s approval of being the chairman of the Commission of Inquiry, is that they would stick to the original timetables that they set out when Mr Justice Morrison was here, and Mr Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj, SC, has been talking to the population about the commencement of their procedural hearings in the month of August. That is still on track,” said Young.

On February 25, divers Kazim Ali Jnr, Yusuf Henry, Fyzal Kurban and Rishi Nagassar died when they were sucked into a 30-inch-diameter sub-sea pipeline belonging to the Paria Fuel Trading Company in Pointe-à-Pierre, Trinidad and Tobago.

The attorney for the families of two of the divers, Prakash Ramadhar, said he was surprised at Morrison’s resignation, but was hopeful his replacement would begin work as soon as possible.

“We look forward to a speedy replacement so the commission of enquiry can proceed. The country is waiting with bated breath and notwithstanding the court proceedings the wider investigation will be very helpful in terms of not just knowing what happened but how we can prevent further tragedies,” he said.