Vessel Identified

The Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard confirmed involvement of a tug boat and a barge bound for Guyana, but unaccounted for. Investigations, in collaboration with local and regional agencies, focus on identifying the vessels and their owners. Distinctive markings and satellite imagery track the barge, towed by the Solo Creed from Panama. Both vessels lost radar contact and never entered Guyana waters. Casualties remain unconfirmed amidst efforts to determine the vessels’ identities. This information although bringing clarity raises several more concerns. First of all, Chief Secretary Farley Augustine was not officially notified of the find.

Trinidad And Tobago Coast Guard Investigates Tug Boat And Barge Bound For Guyana. Tug Boat Identified As “Solo Creed” Towing A Badge With Fuel From Panama To Guyana

“I found out like everyone else from a press release that I saw on whatapp and I saw circulating online and that is how I knew the name of the vessel 35:35  Nobody called, nobody whatsapped me, nobody said anything officially“

Coincidentally, the Chief Secretary stated he received similar information the night before, and raised several questions. 

“you really took that long to come forward and to take ownership of this? This is your vessel and you have not arrived to Tobago as yet?“

The island has been treating with a Tier 2 disaster as a result of the continuous oil spill. 

“you know what you were carrying and the press release doesn’t indicate clearly what they were carrying and the quantity they were carrying 30:00 the whatsapp message I got last night says that they were carrying 5000 metric tonnes of fuel is that true?‘”

Then there is the matter of the actual name of the badge stuck on the reef outside of Cove. 

“and is it true that what we see as Gulf stream is essentially perhaps an older name, the original name, and that this new name was perhaps something called zoom zoom or something of that sort“

Also, Augustine pointed to some concerns that the vessel’s owner might involve a major energy company trying to do business in Trinidad. 

“the whatsapp I got last night also said that the owner of this vessel actually is one of those trying to purchase the refinery down in Point Fortin“

Augustine called for these questions to be answered urgently. And while Tobago continues to prioritize its cleanup efforts…“I want to know how much they will pay for this“