Trini Eco Warriors (TEW) which was photographing an abandoned Soldado oil well on Wednesday-and splotches of oil on the water-were forced off the scene by three security vessels belonging to an oil company, according to TEW's Kyle de Lima. TEW, headed by De Lima, Marc de Verteuil and Stephen Broadbridge, incorporated the group as an eco-lobbyist movement in October. Its work assesses threats to local ecological sectors-and raises awareness of this-on fronts, ranging from wildlife endangerment to marine pollution and human health hazards.
Following TEW's first priority project-a recent expose on the killing of turtles-it is formulating proposals for Government to protect the species. Food Production Minister Vasant Bharath, who is in favour of protection, told the T&T Guardian yesterday he would support legislation for the issue in 2011. TEW also was instrumental last weekend in east Trinidad in saving a pawi bird, an endangered species, of which there are only 200. The shot bird was in the hands of a hunter. The group recruited police assistance to rescue it and took it for medical attention and sanctuary where TEW hopes it can be instrumental in a breeding programme.
On Wednesday, however, TEW (literally) ran into problems when De Lima and De Verteuil went to Soldado by cabin cruiser to film the effects of an abandoned oil well following a tip-off about recent spillage. De Lima said the crew of three left Chaguaramas on a 36- foot vessel and proceeded to Soldado's block station (16) where they filmed a barge repairing the oil well which had fallen into the sea. It is, by now, almost 90 per cent capped. De Lima said his vessel stayed within the limit of a ring of buoys, 200 to 300 yards from the barge.
He said: "We have video of everything-including everything else that happened-and you could see the rainbow sheen on the water when oil is, or was, present. "We were there for about 90 minutes when the 'Petrotrin Carib Valley' tug came charging in and began shouting at us to cease and desist from filming and leave the area immediately, It's all on video." De Lima said: "We questioned who was running us from there but they kept harassing us on the radio. Then they called for backup." The oil company's communications officer said he would investigate the issue.