Family of British man who died at Roseau Dam raises questions over his death

On 16 August, vacationing British national Martin Ellis met his demise at the John Compton Dam, Roseau. The Royal Saint Lucia Police Force said that on that day, officers responded to a report of a suspected electrocution, where on arrival, Ellis was found unresponsive and was later pronounced dead by a medical practitioner.

In a press release by the Water and Sewerage Company Incorporated (WASCO) on August 17, the company said: “A UK National Mr. Martin Ellis and his three young sons were unfortunately able to access a restricted area of the Dam without first obtaining permission from the authorities to enter the compound. Access to that hilltop area is blocked with a secured metal chain across the roadway. Mr. Ellis reportedly collapsed in this restricted area of the Dam.”

But the Ellis family claims otherwise. According to correspondence sent through Anthony & Antoine Chambers to the STAR on Friday: “On 16th August our father, Martin Ellis, of London UK, met his death at the Sir John Compton Dam as a result of a terrible incident. We, his three sons, were with him. Our mother, who is severely disabled, had remained at home in England…We do not accept that we accessed a clearly restricted area of the dam or that we were in any way notified before or on arrival that we had to secure prior permission to visit the site. Indeed, we were shown where to park so as not to be in the way of other vehicles on the site.

“We hope that in time the facts leading to the death of our father will be established. We also trust appropriate measures will be taken to avoid similar tragedies in the future.” 

The Ellis boys described their father as one who loved to walk and explore, so when guidebooks, maps and Trip Advisor indicated the dam and a “nearby bird sanctuary” were worth the visit, he took the opportunity. Following the tragedy, the Ellis family said they had many to thank for help offered on that unfortunate day and to get them back home.

“We would like to thank Anne Moy, who was working on site and came to our aid when she heard us shouting for help; the staff and management of St James Club Morgan Bay who were so kind and sympathetic, particularly Alvin the Duty Manager who found out where we were and collected us from Victoria Hospital; Claire Coleman from the office of the British Government Representative, Michelle from AXA insurance and John the Tui Holiday Representative. Between them, they got us home.”

The information sent to STAR ended with this: “Finally, we hope that someone reading this can help to locate our father’s wedding ring, lost during the journey from the dam to the Victoria Hospital, either in the ambulance or where people alight from ambulances and walk into the hospital. It is a heavy gold ring with beaten white gold between slightly raised gold rims top and bottom. Tristan, especially, is distraught because he thinks it fell out of his bag. Please, please can whoever found it, return it to us via St James’s Club Morgan Bay? We will gladly pay a reward. It is a one-off piece, made especially for him. Our father wore it for 33 years and it is the one item of significance that we cannot replace.”

Martin Ellis’ three sons are Lucian Ellis (19-years-old), Tristan Ellis (16-years-old), and Piers Ellis (14-years-old). His wife, Amy Silverston, outlives him.  On Friday, the RSLPF told the STAR that the matter is still under investigation and was unable to say if Ellis had indeed accessed a restricted area.