Senior Political Reporter
There has been no “cover-up” by Government concerning the oil spill in Tobago, and the Tobago House of Assembly Chief Secretary’s attempt to link the tragedy with claims about the Petrotrin refinery is also patently ridiculous, says Prime Minister Keith Rowley.
Rowley delivered a statement to Parliament yesterday on THA Chief Secretary Farley Augustine’s claims and other matters arising from the wrecked barge, leaking oil off Tobago’s Cove area since February 7.
This, after Augustine on Wednesday suggested Government may not have been forthright with the information it had on the vessel, and he queried if the vessel’s owner is “one of those trying to purchase” the Petrotrin refinery.
However, Rowley yesterday detailed Government’s outreaches to the THA on the oil spill. He added, “The Energy Ministry continues to provide support and assistance in this matter. All the correspondence provide a comprehensive and accurate account of all that has taken place in a multi-disciplinary, multi-sectoral team approach, and should help to dispel some recent inaccurate, irresponsible and misleading commentary that there has been an attempt to conceal information from the public, particularly the Chief Secretary of the Tobago House of Assembly, on the matter of the oil spill. There has been no hint of any cover up!
“As soon as it became clear that there was a serious problem brewing on the Tobago coastline, I was informed and I immediately directed that the relevant ministers not only assume their responsibilities but that they be physically present in Tobago as often as required in order to ensure that the functions of the Central Government are faithfully and comprehensively discharged to the people of Tobago, in conjunction and collaboration with the relevant officers in Tobago.”
Rowley said the nature of the oil spill and the immediacy of the need for a co-ordinated approach in containing—and where possible reversing effects of the spill—led him to declare it a national emergency.
Rowley added, “As with all matters that threaten the welfare of our nation, and in particular, given the heightened urgency of matters relating to the preservation of our biodiversity and their intrinsic importance to the health, welfare, security, and economic well-being of our nation, the Government and all other relevant agencies have taken this matter very seriously and have been engaged in a focused, co-ordinated, strategic and rapid response in addressing, containing, and where possible, preventing contamination and other damage caused by the spill, and by deploying the range of resources available to us locally and through collaboration with regional and extra-regional partners and authorities.”
Rowley said the sequence of actions and initiatives undertaken by local authorities are consistent with its National Oil Spill Contingency Plan (2013).
He cited the Energy Ministry’s February 8 communication to THA Chief Administrator Denese Toby-Quashie after the Ministry was alerted by the Coast Guard on February 7 that the vessel was leaking oil. He cited the other steps by the Energy Ministry to assist and that Tobago’s Emergency Management Agency (TEMA) had stated it was leading a response on the situation. The Ministry had told THA’s chief administrator that it stood ready to provide technical support to TEMA.
He said both the Energy and Works Ministers made several visits to Tobago and he also travelled to Tobago last Sunday, reviewing the situation with technical staff and THA officials and holding a joint press conference with Augustine and all relevant Department Heads.
Alarming statements by Chief Secretary
Rowley added, “At this event, all the information available to the Government was presented to the public and to the THA. It is, therefore, quite disturbing and disappointing to hear the head of the Tobago Executive, the Chief Secretary, introduce to the public that the Government had pertinent sensitive information which was being withheld from the THA.
“Nothing is further from the truth. This is an unnecessary gratuitous slur on the many professionals who are currently engaged in this process.”
“A major multi-prong investigation is currently underway accompanying the physical activities. Under these circumstances, new, even unconfirmed information and reports, are constantly being unearthed both here at home and from many sources in many different countries outside of T&T,” Rowley added.
“What is even more alarming is the statement from the Chief Secretary which attempts to link this tragedy and its liabilities to the Petrotrin Refinery and any of the many companies that do business with or are interested in any of its subsidiaries and their assets. The Government knows of no such existence of any such interest or conflict and view this assertion as patently ridiculous,” he said.
“All the protocols are in place and are being followed. It requires that our professional teams be resourced and be allowed to do their jobs and that all parties, local and national, respect the breadth and borders of their own responsibility and authorities, work in a co-operative and collaborative way and, at all times, refrain from mischievous unhelpful and damaging speculation.”
State's response timeline
• After word of the oil spill on February 7 the Energy Ministry co-ordinated a virtual crisis-management meeting that day with other regulatory agencies including the Tobago Emergency Management Agency (TEMA).
• The Ministry offered technical support to TEMA who confirmed the Tobago Oil Spill Contingency Plan was immediately triggered and TEMA would be leading and managing the response.
• The Ministry followed-up with Allan Stewart of TEMA at 6.20 pm on February 7, 2024, and 1.30 pm on February 8, 2024, where it reiterated its offer of technical support and was informed that TEMA is managing the response and would engage the Ministry, if required ...
• The Energy Ministry informed TEMA that it is available and prepared to provide technical support. A Ministry team was dispatched to Tobago to provide assistance, should TEMA and THA so desire.
• The Ministry dispatched a team of Petroleum Inspectors to assist THA, TEMA.
• Ministers Stuart Young (Energy) and Rohan Sinanan (Works) met THA Chief Secretary Farley Augustine in Tobago. Both offered continued support and expertise from their ministries.
• Energy Ministry personnel were present and have been participating in and providing expertise in the response exercise.
• Heritage Petroleum Company Ltd sent resources to Tobago, including personnel and equipment, to assist. This was after the Ministry initially requested assistance from Woodside Energy and their approval of the use of a private service contractor (Kaizen Environmental Services Trinidad Ltd) that Woodside had in Tobago with the expertise to deal with containment/ clean-up operations.
• Young was also in contact with the leadership of bpTT and Shell Trinidad both of whom have offered to provide assistance through the Ministry.