Tobago Correspondent
The Tobago Emergency Management Agency (TEMA) is currently focusing on finding a solution to managing and disposing of the hydrocarbon and polluted waste collected during the oil spill from the leaking barge off the Cove.
Simultaneously, the agency is also dealing with an influx of sargassum seaweed.
Despite this, TEMA director Allan Stewart said significant progress has been made in restoring the affected areas.
“The sargassum response plan is now in effect. We have had some technical discussions on how we can treat with it,” he said during a media conference on Wednesday
Meanwhile, the salvaging team is still containing the remaining oil from the barge, which remains anchored just off the coast of the Cove.
“At day 50, I am very pleased to report that we have made significant strides, in that our objective is well in place and we have achieved substantial progress in those goals we would have set.”
He said attempts to recover the vessel will begin soon.
Today marks 51 days since the Gulfstream barge crashed off Tobago, spewing bunker fuel into its waters.
Stewart said he was happy with the progress made.
“We have seen, to date, there have been some changes. We have reached some of the goals in the schools that have been impacted are reopened, roadways that were blocked and are now reopened, we have seen a scale back on all the activities. The 15 kilometres of the impacted shoreline across the Atlantic areas have been cleared significantly.”
He reiterated, “This is not a sprint, it’s a marathon. Hydrocarbon will be popping up again along the shoreline, this is where we bring in CEPEP (Community-Based Environmental Protection and Enhancement Programme) and they will be trained in a way as to how to treat with it, how to dispose of it, how to take care of it. We would provide them with the necessary PPE and the techniques used for collection.”