Criminal Charges Need to be Laid

Scarborough, Tobago – Martin George, Chairman of the Tobago Business Chamber, is calling for legal action to be taken against the individuals or entities responsible for the devastating Gulfstream oil spill.

On February 7th, the Gulfstream barge was discovered capsized on a reef near Cove, leaking bunker fuel into the surrounding water. This incident resulted in an environmental disaster, polluting 15 km of coastline between Scarborough and Canoe Bay. Citing Section 3 of the Oil Pollution of Territorial Waters Act, George emphasized that someone must be held responsible for the costs incurred due to the oil spill’s impact on Tobago.

The oil slick has also spread into the territorial waters of Grenada and Bonaire, with the government of Bonaire reportedly considering legal action due to the impact on their territory. George stressed that the world is observing, and Trinidad and Tobago must respond swiftly and decisively to this international environmental crisis.

Although investigative journalists from T&T Guardian and Bellingcat have identified a Panamanian-based firm, Melaj Offshore Corporation, as the responsible party, the government of Trinidad and Tobago is yet to officially substantiate this information. Government officials have assured the public that they are conducting necessary investigations before making factually based announcements regarding the matter. In the meantime, Chief Secretary Farley Augustine stated that the Tobago House of Assembly’s (THA) legal team is already exploring options for seeking compensation once the responsible parties are positively identified.