Community
Criminal Charges Need to be Laid
Tobago Business Chamber Chairman Martin George call for criminal charges to be laid against entities or people responsible for Gulfstream oil spill
Chairman of the Tobago Business Chamber, Martin George is calling for legal action to be taken against the people or entities responsible for the Gulfstream oil spill.
On February 7th, the Gulfstream barge was discovered capsized on a reef near Cove, leaking bunker fuel into the surrounding water, polluting 15 km of coastline between Scarborough and Canoe Bay and creating an environmental diaster. Quoting the law in Section 3 of the Oil Pollution of Territorial Waters Act, George stated that someone needs to be held responsible for cost on the impact of the oil spill on Tobago.
The oil slick has also wandered into the waters of Grenada and Bonaire, with the government of Bonaire considering legal action for the impact it is having on their territory. George said the world is watching, and Trinidad and Tobago must respond swiftly and decisively.
Although investigative journalists from T&T Guardian and Bellingcat have identified the responsible parties as a Panamanian-based firm, namely Melaj Offshore Corporation, the government of Trinidad and Tobago is yet to substantiate this information. They assured the public that they are doing the necessary work before making factually based announcements regarding the matter. In the meantime, Chief Secretary Farley Augustine stated that the THA’s legal team is already exploring the options that are open to them for seeking compensation once responsible parties are positively identified.
