Nearly three months after 28-year-old Angelica Jogie lost her life in a jet ski accident at Tobago’s popular Pigeon Point beach, the island’s governing body has confirmed it has received formal pre-action protocol correspondence from the Jogie family’s legal team, kicking off a potential legal battle over the fatal incident.
The Tobago House of Assembly (THA) Legal Affairs Secretary Adanna Joseph-Wallace verified the receipt of the documents in an interview with local media outlet Express on Thursday, noting the court-precursor papers arrived Wednesday afternoon, shifting into the early evening. While she declined to share further details on the document contents at this early procedural stage, she confirmed the THA would follow standard legal protocol moving forward.
“At this point, this is only the pre-action stage of any potential claim,” Joseph-Wallace explained. “We will respond formally to the family’s legal team at the appropriate time, and we will allow the regular legal process to unfold as it should. It is too early for me to make any formal pronouncements on the substance of the claim.”
She added that the filing did not come as an unexpected development, as the family’s intent to pursue legal action had already been communicated publicly. “People have every right to pursue any legal avenue they believe serves their best interest following a tragedy like this, and it is not my place to comment on whether they should or should not have initiated this process,” she said.
The Jogie family is targeting three parties in their prospective legal action: the THA, Pigeon Point Heritage Park Ltd, and the individual jet ski operator involved in the April 8 accident. The operator was previously released from police custody, and investigators are currently preparing a new submission to the Director of Public Prosecutions to determine whether criminal charges will be filed in the case.
According to the pre-action letter, both the THA and Pigeon Point Heritage Park Ltd hold responsibility for the management, safety oversight, and regulation of all recreational activities at the beach facility, including jet ski and other watercraft operations. The family alleges that the two responsible entities failed to put in place, enforce, and maintain sufficient safety protocols to protect beachgoers from the well-documented hazards of jet ski operations near swimming and bathing areas. The legal team argues that local governing bodies knew, or should reasonably have known, of the significant risks posed by unregulated or poorly supervised jet ski activity close to recreational swimmers.
Amid the ongoing legal process, a local marine industry leader has announced new safety improvements for the Tobago Marine Park. Ricardo Alfred, owner of a local jet ski business and president of the Tobago Water and Trails Association, confirmed that targeted upgrades have already been deployed to boost marine safety at popular recreational sites. “We have installed new solar-powered lighting along the Gibson jetty to improve visibility after dark, a Coast Guard patrol vessel is currently undergoing repairs to support expanded marine patrols, and fuel has been allocated to the Coast Guard to keep their patrol operations active,” Alfred said.
The developments come as the community of Tobago continues to process the high-profile fatal accident, with safety advocates pushing for more consistent enforcement of marine recreation rules across the island’s popular tourist beaches.