Trinidad to be compensated for oil spill clean-up by UK fund

The Trinidad & Tobago government on Monday said it has secured international compensation for the ongoing oil spill clean-up in Tobago, with early estimates putting the damage at US$20 million.

“The information we have retained from central government and the Ministry of Energy and Energy Industries, we can be looking at anywhere from US$14 million to US$20 million; and that’s our best estimates at this stage,” said Energy and Energy Industries Minister Stuart Young.

“And of course in Tobago, they, too, via the THA (Tobago House of Assembly), would be incurring certain costs that ultimately will come to central government, and we will do an exercise along with the Ministry of Finance…to see what those costs that have been out forward…are reasonable for us to deal with,” Young said at a news conference.

The precise payment is yet to be ascertained, he added, while noting that reparation was made possible because of contributions made by Port of Spain to the International Oil Pollution Compensation Fund, IOPCF, for a number of years.

The hydrocarbon spill, which was first spotted off the coast of Tobago’s Atlantic Coast on February 7 this year, has damaged some of the island’s mangroves and threatened its tourism and fishing sectors.

The oil spill also entered the Caribbean Sea, threatening Venezuela and other neighbouring countries, including the Dutch island of Bonaire.

“We know at this stage…that the ship that was being used as a barge to transport this fuel was being pulled along at certain times by a tug. We’ve heard the name Gulf Stream, which is the last name that was seen on this vessel that was overturned in Tobago. We’ve also seen documentation that suggests that the tug that was carrying it along during parts of this journey is called the Solo Creed. We’ve also been provided with documentation that suggests changes of names,” Young told reporters, adding that the decision to seek compensation was made on April 29.

“I am pleased to advise that the decisions coming out of the submissions we made, the fund’s executive committee decision is as follows: the 1992 fund executive committee decided that civil liability and fund conventions would apply to this incident and they immediately authorised the director to make payments of compensation in respect of claims arising from this incident,” the minister said.

“We have given an assurance to the fund that we will continue to work with them to try and locate the owner of these vessels and those who are responsible for it (oil spill); and that if we are able to pursue any claims then subrogate those claims to IOPCF for all reasonable claims made, will be compensated by this fund.”

Young told reporters that the vessel was on its way to Guyana when the incident occurred, and that the Trinidad & Tobago government was committed to tracking down the owners.

He added that at this stage, it seemed the vessel had picked up products in Venezuela and “from the document I have seen …the vessels were on their way to Guyana”.

“We have from the authorities in Guyana request…for pilots to come and assist them into Guyana during the period when it actually turned up on the shores in Tobago. We are pursing all the leads that we have; we have been receiving now, as well, assistance from the United States, and the Canadian government got involved in assisting,” Young added.

Through its Ministry of Foreign and Caricom Affairs, Trinidad has requested official assistance from various countries, including Tanzania, Nigeria, Panama, Aruba and Curacao, to trace the owners of the vessels.

– CMC