By EARYEL BOWLEG

Tribune Staff Reporter

ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

THIRTY-five thousand gallons of diesel spilled into the once blue and pristine waters off an Exuma bay as a vessel contracted by Sun Oil was offloading fuel to Bahamas Power and Light at George Town. 

Acting Prime Minister Chester Cooper described the incident as a “significant spill”, while Dr Rhianna Neely-Murphy, director of environmental planning and protection said: “This is an extreme situation.”

Reports were that the incident happened sometime before 5pm on Tuesday and 4am yesterday, when a vessel – The Arabia – was offloading.

 The incident prompted a mass of officials, including Mr Cooper, Works Minister Alfred Sears, Transport Minister Jobeth Coleby-Davis, Environment Minister Vaugh Miller, law enforcement and other officials to visit the site where remediation efforts got under way yesterday.

 Mr Sears from the scene of the incident said there was a “political will to expedite this within 24 hours to have this matter, to have this diesel removed.”

 He said additional resources were being mobilised, with officials dealing with flammable matters.

Further, he said additional booms were being provided to the site along with more pumps that were secured by BPL.

Mr Cooper initially made the startling announcement during the morning sitting of Parliament yesterday: “My information is that sometime last night between 5pm and 4am, a vessel by the name of The Arabian, a contractor for Sun Oil, was offloading fuel to BPL in the area of the Old Navy Base, George Town area of Exuma, and this morning.

“We are advised at the moment that the oil is contained in the bay area of the Exuma Sail Club,” he also said at the time. “I’ve spoken to the relevant ministers - Works (and) Transport and I am at the moment reliably advised that all of the agencies of government are deployed to mitigate the matter.”

Mr Cooper initially told the House that 30,000 gallons was spilled, but later he reported at the site that officials pegged the volume of waste at around 35,000 gallons. By that time, he said the spill appeared to have been contained.

“We got reports of there being a spill of what is to be believed some 35, 000 gallon of diesel that was intended to go to BPL,” he later said. “We are happy that it is contained or appears to be contained.”

He added: “What we really wanted to do is come here to show our support and to demonstrate that all of the agencies and arms of government are committed to ensuring that this problem is mitigated as best as possible as quickly as possible.”

In a statement Sun Oil confirmed that the MT Arabian, owned by D&T Shipping, discovered a leak during the discharging process.

“At sunrise and upon further assessment of the situation, the crew deployed absorbent pads and containment buoys near the shoreline,” the statement read.

“Fuel recovery procedures remain ongoing, led by owners of the MT Arabian. The company’s president, Greg Stuart, has pledged his full cooperation in this incident. Additionally, Sun Oil’s leadership team activated its crisis management protocol and traveled to Exuma to further assess and respond to the situation.”

Clinton Rolle, managing director and general manager of Sun Oil Limited said the protection of the environment remained critical to his organization.

“We have initiated our crisis management team and operations to effectively manage this unfortunate situation. Additionally, we are working in partnership with Bahamas government officials and agencies to professionally manage this situation. We will provide the necessary resources and assistance to address and resolve this situation,” he said.

The company further stated: “Sun Oil cares about our environment and commits to providing additional relevant information regarding this incident. Local media will be briefed further as we have access to more details.”

For her part, Housing and Transport JoBeth Coleby-Davis said government officials said there would be a meeting with relevant stakeholders, adding the question of penalties would eventually be looked at.

She said: “My permanent secretary confirmed that there would be a meeting convened with the National Oil Spill Committee to where they discussed mitigation methods and the investigation report that they would have to receive, once it’s completed.

“And then they would move any penalties that would be coming. That matter would be dealt with in partnership with the Ministry of the Environment and also the Office of the Attorney General.

“Once that’s confirmed, the report, who is the immediate party that’s responsible for the spill, then other penalties will come and that will be decided by the Ministry of the Environment, Department of Environmental Planning and Protection, and obviously guided by the office of the Attorney General.”

Ahead of officials visiting the scene, St Anne’s MP Adrian White called the spill “particularly alarming”.

“I do appreciate that the deputy leader, the member for Exumas and Ragged Island, is no longer in the house and I hope that’s as a result of his growing attention to this issue,” Mr White said. “I think it was great that he brought to the public immediately. That’s what we need to be doing even though there are reporters in the gallery. As members of Parliament, representers of our constituency, we need to be reporting to the people.”

He added: “I don’t know what provisions are in place for a tanker like that, whether there’s existing insurance that can be communicated to the public in the coming days so that there can be some satisfaction as to the remediation efforts, which will be extremely costly as well reoccurring in future damages that persons in those communities will have to face.

“I don’t know also whether there is going to be a volunteer opportunity conveyed to members of the public who may wish to run down to the Exumas now. Fly down to the Exumas now to assist with trying to clear some of this oil spillage or if there is any type of barrier that has been put up.”

Mr Sears at the time responded to some of Mr White’s concerns, noting efforts from some law enforcement agencies.

The works minister said: “The deputy prime minister, the minister of transport, including myself and works and our respective technical teams along with the deputy prime minister will be leaving Nassau at 12 today for Exuma.

“A technical team from BPL and also from the ministry of environment has already gone to Exuma. The operator of the ship has advised that their company in Grand Bahama is on its way with booms and other mitigation and remediation equipment.”

“I’ve spoken directly with the commodore of the defense force this morning and its assets is on the way to Exuma. The commissioner of police, I’ve spoken with the commissioner who’s out of the jurisdiction, and the deputy commissioner of police is coordinating with the team members in Exuma.

“Not depending on the contractor and Sun Oil but certainly from the government’s perspective, independent government agents are on the ground – others on their way to that site. And every reasonable effort will be made to contain and to remove and to remediate because it’s a matter of extreme importance to people of the Exumas and to the country…report will be made in early course.”

Mr White acknowledged the efforts made thus far but highlighted the desire for accountability.

In her assessment of the matter yesterday, Dr Neely-Murphy said: “…Officials have in custody the hose that was breached. At this point a second boom has been installed to continue to contain the fuel. This is an extreme situation, but it occurred in a location that makes it easier than most to contain. Officers were on site from late this morning and will return in the morning to continue the rapid assessment.

“The pumping exercise will continue throughout the evening at the site of the spill. Assessments of the impact to the immediate and nearshore environments and the possible effect on wildlife will continue, however, in the morning.”