Injured Bequia resident resting comfortably in T&T hospital

Shawan Ollivierre, the Bequia resident who was injured during an accident at sea just over a week ago is said to be resting comfortably at a medical facility in Trinidad and Tobago (T&T) following surgery.

The Hamilton young man was injured on the weekend of February 25, and taken to the Intensive Care Unit at the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital (MCMH) following an incident at sea that is said to have left him paralysed from his neck down.

Ollivierre, 21, received assistance from the government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG), BOS Marine (a business on Bequia), and several close friends and relatives who created a Gofundme page on his behalf.

On Monday, March 6, Kemo Bynoe, who described himself as “more like a brother” to Ollivierre said the injured man was flown to T&T on Thursday, March 2, where he was looked at by medical personnel there.

Bynoe said Ollivierre arrived at the medical facility at around 12:00 p.m. and was in surgery by 5:00 p.m. He said the surgery was expected to be about six hours long but it went better than expected and Ollivierre is in recovery and in good spirits.

According to reports, Ollivierre left Bequia on Sunday, February 26, and headed to Union Island for the annual Conch Festival there.

And, while he was heading back to Bequia by boat, “an unfortunate incident occurred.”

Prime Minister, Dr Ralph Gonsalves spoke briefly about the incident on NBC radio last week where he said that Ollivierre had serious neurological problems.

The Gofundme page was set up to raise US$43,000, which represented 40 percent of the deposit needed for the surgery.

Ollivierre is an employee of the cargo ship Admiral Bay 3.