By KRYSTEL ROLLE, Guardian Staff Reporter, krystel@nasguard.com

Outraged victims of the Sea Hauler tragedy took to the airwaves yesterday to distance themselves from claims made on their behalf that they are unhappy with the government's $1 million ex-gratia payment.

Appearing as guests on the radio talk show "The Way Forward" victims Stephen Rose, Tennyson Leslie, Sophie Antonio, Cedric Hart and Paulette Dean, said they were surprised and angry to hear that Sam Williams, chairman of the Bahamas Loving Care Association was speaking on their behalf.

Antonio went as far as to describe Williams' actions as "appalling".

"He tried to make the public feel like the Sea Hauler victims are not grateful," said Antonio.

This comes after the Bahamas Loving Care chairman conducted several media interviews discussing the Sea Hauler.

Williams told The Guardian on Sunday that the $1 million ex-gratia payment allocated by the government for the victims of the Sea Hauler tragedy was a "drop in the bucket" when stacked against their medical bills.

"They have a lot of medical bills and they are still pouring in. So that's only a drop in the bucket. And when the lawyers get paid out of that, nothing will be left for them," said Williams.

Rose told The Guardian yesterday that Williams was speaking "out of place".

"Sam (Williams) left us a whole year ago. Now he's talking about he's for us. He is not for us," Rose claimed.

And while they have accepted that the $1 million would not be enough, the victims said they were grateful nevertheless.

During the Emancipation holiday in 2003, the Sea Hauler mailboat collided with the United Star freight vessel near Highbourn Cay, Exuma, and Wemyss Bight, Eleuthera. The mailboat was on its way to the Cat Island Regatta.

Four persons died in the collision and 25 persons were injured.

In an earlier interview, Williams said he was the one who originally brought attention to the group's plight. He added that he hoped they were grateful.

Williams said he was happy that the government had lived up to its word. He said he had helped the group out because he could not stand to watch them suffer.

"All I wanted to do was help them," he said in a telephone interview.

Last week, Minister of Maritime and Labour Dion Foulkes announced that the government would pay out $1 million to the victims.

He said that after a "comprehensive multi-agency investigation" and it was determined that the government was innocent of any wrongdoing, they agreed to make the ex-gratia payment, as they were not legally bound to assist the victims. An ex-gratia payment, in law, is a payment made without the giver recognizing any liability or legal obligation.

Foulkes said the office of the Attorney General was in the process of determining the specific amounts to be offered to each victim. Foulkes said that process should take about one week.

While it was unclear if the entire 25 injured would receive payment, the group said they expected the 16 persons who put in claims with the government to be paid. If money is divided equally between that group, each would receive about $60,000.

Lincoln Bain, the official spokesperson for the group, said he hoped the money would be settled by tomorrow.

"We assume that it will be divided amongst 16 people that claimed. I don't know if they are going to give money to everyone but if they do then anyone can come and say they were on the boat that fateful night and they were injured," he said.

Bain, who is currently studying law at the University of Buckingham, has been lobbying the government for years to provide the victims with monetary assistance.

He also agreed that the $1 million was not sufficient but acknowledged it was a start.

"We are elated that the government decided to pay these people. It's reasonable — the ex-gratia payment. It isn't a lot of money but it's not a settlement. This is just a helping hand to persons in need, given to any persons in a disaster. So any help is accepted by Sea Hauler victims. I just hope that the government doesn't make them sign anything relieving them of liability if it is the ex-gratia payment as they say it is," he added.

Meanwhile, Bain said they would continue to seek justice from the mailboat owners.