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Pioneer Divers in the Norwegian Sector of the North Sea


I AM ASHAMED - KARI TODNEM - ABCNYHETER - 09.03.09

“The diving board was wrong when British survivors were refused compensation” says the committee member Kari Todnem. “Norway has a responsibility”, she says.

 ABCNYHETER  Ola Karlsen 09/03/09 www.abcnyheter.no/node/84833

 

 

 

TRONDHEIM (ABC News): At the request of ABC News, Diving Board Kari Todnem has double checked requests from the family of four deceased pioneer divers. It turns out that the issues are identical, but that only one candidate has received financial compensation.
 
While the one applicant was accepted, three British families were rejected in their applications. Now Chief Physician Kari Todnem asks that the applications be processed again.
  • It is Norway that is liable. It is completely unfair that the British divers should not fall under this scheme, "she said to ABC News.
  • These were three young men who made a commitment for Norway in the North Sea. They were killed. Widows set again - and young children put on. And now we come several years later and say that they do not have the right for compensation. It's really quite terrible and I feel ashamed.
When it has been clarified that there has been discrimination in the Committee, asking her about that stuff is taken up again:
  • Council can revisit this if it wants, "she says, and cites that it has happened previously when new information has emerged.
Thanking Todnem
Among the British survivors is great relief over the support of Kari Todnem. Scottish Ann Marie McCreath lived in Stavanger, and was five years old when the father died in the Norwegian sector. She asked that Council quickly corrects the error.
  • In light of this evidence I hope Committee will meet immediately. My father's death has always been painful for me, and the treatment we have received have been salt in the wound.
  • I hope now for the justice which our fathers and husbands deserve, "she said in a brief comment.
English Clare Lucas, had never met her father. He died on the Byford Dolphin platform in one of the worst accidents in the Norwegian sector. She is relieved that a member of the diving board now gives them the right.
  • Thank you, Kari Todnem, because you recognize that we've always known. The Council owes us a quick meeting. Scandal has already lasted too long, "she said to ABC News.
And Kari Todnem is in no doubt where the responsibility should now be added:
  • Norway had complete responsibility for the British divers: They worked in the Norwegian sector of the North Sea, they worked on the platforms that were Norwegian, the area was under Norwegian law and the Norwegian Workers Compensation Insurance.
  • In addition, they partly lived in Rogaland, they had Norwegian children and some of the children were born in Norway. They thought Norway would take care of them if something happened in the North Sea.
  • And in 2005 the council gave compensation to an equivalent survivor's family, points out Todnem.
A paradox
Kari Todnem is a renowned physician and normally works at St. Olav’s Hospital in Trondheim. She has studied hyperbaric diving and medical effects of this on the head and body in more than 20 years.
 
Todnem also points to the paradox that if the British divers had survived accidents, they would receive large payments from the Norwegian social security system:
  • If these divers had not died so they would have had the right to sickness benefit or disability benefit. With its Workers Compensation Insurance having had such large privileges in the National that they should have come under the scheme, said Todnem.
The various point show how strong they were affiliated with the Norwegian Social Security System.
 
When Norwegian Elin Lally (and her Scottish brother) had their applications accepted more than three years ago, there was no one who doubted the connection. Lally has even worked actively so that the British survivors also will receive the same compensation that she received and has accepted that her case is mentioned.
 
Her father had Workers Compensation Insurance (which is part of the National Insurance), worked in the Norwegian sector when he died, and was paid Children’s Allowance after the loss of her father.
 
For a Scottish family that was rejected in November were completely identical. It shows the passage Kari Todnem has done.
 
And for families to Clare Lucas and Ann Marie McCreath, that ABC News has presented previously, the situation is exactly the same. With one exception: Here, survivors pension was not applied for. But the evidence from the NAV is clear that the surviving family would be entitled to such pension, but that it was not applied for .
 
It is only when the British applications come on the table in autumn 2008 at the Council's lawyers found problems with the relations to social security, said Todnem.
  • We had never before discussed on Workers Compensation Insurance was a good enough related to the National, so it was something that was taken up by lawyers at the meeting in November, "she says.
Although she had before this meeting considered that Workers Compensation Insurance was a strong enough connection and within the Board's mandate from Parliament.
 
But they did not have a majority after the Board's lawyers - the leader Stein Husby and Secretary Dag Torsteinsen - last fall for the first time argued against a Norwegian Workers Compensation Insurance connection was a good enough.
 
The mandate does not mention anything about the grading of the national insurance association. It believes Todnem is a weakness that should have been clarified.
  • It is one of several weak points in the mandate. We have asked the Ministry of how to interpret this, but they have only pushed the problem back to us.
  • The Council shall only perform Parliaments will. This is the Norwegian people's compensation to divers from pioneer times, and I believe that is unfortunate that the mandate was so unclear. Parliamentary Committee should take this up again.
ABCNyheter asked questions Friday to the Councils leader about the new information, but he has chosen not to answer them.

 

If any one out there is serious and can help to find the families, or who just wants more information please contact me directly:

Tom Wingen
Brunla Gård. N-3294 Stavern, Norway
Tel: (+47) 959 444 85 | E-mail: mail@pioneerdivers.org