Following a visit to his constituent Sally-Ann Cuffie, a Talparo grandmother who had her fingers blown off by a scratch bomb, Public Administration and Communications Minister Maxie Cuffie is vowing to do everything he can to get the bombs off the streets.
In an interview with the T&T Guardian yesterday, Cuffie said he visited Sally-Ann at the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex yesterday to lend support as she is a constituent and the incident which left her maimed took place in his constituency.
“She was in a lot of pain and I think she is very concerned about her employment prospects after her hands are healed,” Cuffie said.
“My visit was to try to cheer her a little and to let her know I am supportive of her and I will do everything I can to ensure this matter is properly investigated and someone is held responsible.”
On October 29, Divali night, Sally-Ann, 48, instinctively reacted when she snatched up a scratch bomb which was thrown into her son’s car while the family was out for a drive along Boy Cato Road, Las Lomas.
The explosive landed near her six-month-old grand-daughter but before Cuffie could throw it out of the car, it exploded in her hand, severing both thumbs and severely damaging her other fingers.
What makes this injury especially threatening for Cuffie is that she suffers from diabetes which inhibits injuries from healing properly.
Cuffie said he will do all he can to ensure that the legislation which bans scratch bombs from being imported and sold in this county is implemented.
“I have a meeting with the Attorney General tomorrow (Monday) and will speak to him about what can be done in this situation.”
“This is a serious matter and we need to do something about it...I also plan on asking the Minister of National Security to get an update into the investigation into who is responsible for this.”
Cuffie said if the perpetrators are ever held, he believes they should be made to compensate Sally-Ann for her injuries.
“It is a sad thing to see how this has affected her life and her future...she should be paid some type of compensation by those responsible.”
In an interview yesterday, Sally-Ann said she is still in a lot of pain following a surgery on Thursday. She said she is grateful for the minister’s visit and hopes his promises will materialise. On Thursday, doctors performed surgery to her hands and implanted steel in her fingers.
She remains doubtful that she will ever be able to resume her job as a precepted estate constable because of the extent of her injuries.
No one has been charged for the crime and the injured woman’s family are calling on the police and the Government to crack down on the use and sale of scratch bombs and fireworks.