AfriKa CRY BLOOD

I’Akobi Tacuma Maloney, 23, of Hutson’s Alley, Reed Street, St Michael, died on June 17, 2008, at Land Lock, St Lucy. The circumstances of his death were investigated by the Coroner’s Court and last Friday, Coroner Faith Marshall-Harris in her verdict said his death was due to misadventure. The following is Part 4 of an edited version of the verdict which began on Monday. It continues in tomorrow’s SUNDAY SUN.

MALONEY HAD certainly never mentioned any personal problems, any problems with work colleagues or with cement dust and sinusitis nor articulated any problems working at Arawak, apart from the temporary status.

Once again the resignation was a total surprise and he thought the response, “I am taking responsibility for my back”, sounded totally unlike Maloney.

It now appeared to Adesegha that when Maloney came to his lab that morning briefly and then left with his bag to see Collymore he had already made up his mind to resign.

Approximately 10:15 that morning, Maloney called his mother who was at her usual spot in Holetown under the trees close to the taxi stand. The conversation between them, as reported seems contradictory. She reported that he said “Mumz, Mumz, Mumz, I feel real good, I fire the work. I was here in Speightstown for a while just checking the scenes and it feels boring and monotonous. (more…)

I’AKOBI MALONEY was actively searching for another job.

His younger brother, Mandela Maloney, disclosed this at the Coroner’s Inquest into his death on Monday.

He told the court that his brother, who obtained an engineering degree at the St Augustine Campus in Trinidad was “dissatisfied with the conditions at the Arawak Cement Plant” and felt that the conditions there were not challenging enough.

Mandela pointed out that his brother started developing asthma and sinusitis and he believed it was because of the dust at the St Lucy plant. (more…)

I’AKOBI MALONEY “shafted” his job for health reasons, the former Barbados Exhibition winner’s mother told a Coroner’s Inquest yesterday.

And according to Marguerita Maloney, her son, though being ill two weeks before his death, was not depressed, and had even suggested he would start on a career in the “arts”, through rhythm poetry and chanting, after giving up his employment with the Awarak Cement Plant.

Maloney, who testified her son always had “sinus problems”, said he informed her he would resign before the job caused his death from constant inhalation of cement dust. (more…)