GUYANA | T&T Oil Spill Guyana link, Caribbean Tourism Tense

KINGSTON, Jamaica, February 29, 2024 - A shadow of uncertainty looms over the pristine beaches of Bonaire as a massive oil spill, originating from a catastrophic incident off the coast of Trinidad and Tobago, threatens to desecrate the Caribbean's treasured coastlines. 

The spill, stretching across hundreds of miles, now endangers the tourism industry, a vital artery for the Caribbean islands' economies.

The entire region watches with bated breath, hoping the sea currents will mercifully divert the looming disaster from their shores.

The origins of the spill, tied to the capsizing of a vessel named "Gulfstream," have been shrouded in mystery and secrecy. 

The oil spill was blamed on an overturned barge that had departed from Panama and was being tugged to nearby Guyana when it began to sink, according to a preliminary investigation.

The owner of the barge has not been identified.

According to Trinidad and Tobago authorities, the Gulfstream was towed by a tugboat named the Solo Creed, on a journey that was bound for Guyana from Panama before it became stranded off the coast of the Caribbean nation.

Using AIS data and satellite imagery, Bellingcat, a technology based maritime tracking agency, was able to follow the Solo Creed and Gulfstream on almost every day of their doomed voyage.

With hundreds of thousands of gallons of heavy fuel oil leaking into the Caribbean Sea during Trinidad and Tobago's vibrant Carnival season, the government was compelled to declare a national emergency.

The thick fog of secrecy surrounding the cargo's intended destination only deepens the intrigue.

Insight into the enigmatic event comes from Enrico Woolford of Capitol News, Georgetown, Guyana, who casts light on the potential involvement of the Guyana Power and Light Inc. (GPL).

Documents revealed to GPL’s Supply Chain Officer-Technical, Ganesh Persaud, on February 7, 2024, indicated a delay in the delivery of 75,000 barrels of heavy fuel oil.

Osher International Holdings, the notifying entity, assured diligent efforts to rectify the delay, promising real-time updates to GPL.

Yet, the connection between the spill and the cargo consigned to GPL, which never reached Guyana, begs for transparency.

As the spill's impact spreads to Bonaire, questions about GPL's accountability arise, with the company distancing itself from the disaster, claiming association only upon the cargo's successful discharge at its port.

This may well be one of the last available images of the vessel GULFSTREAM, which capsized off the coast of #Tobago. It was photographed by @planet just 2-3 days prior to the catastrophic #oilspill. The vessel was towed by RANGER (7505994). Thank you @bellingcat for clues! #OOTT pic.twitter.com/IPxuNMdkSJ

— TankerTrackers.com, Inc. (@TankerTrackers) February 14, 2024

This stance, alongside the absence of information regarding the cargo's delivery and the mystery surrounding the vessel's crew, including a missing Guyanese national, fuels speculation and concern.

The spill's magnitude, with at least 420,000 gallons of oil vacuumed near Tobago, underscores the environmental and economic catastrophe facing the Caribbean.

Farley Augustine, chief secretary of the Tobago House of Assembly, warns of the extensive cleanup required, potentially lasting up to three years for full ecosystem rehabilitation.

As the Caribbean braces for the potential devastation to its tourism industry, the silence from the recent CARICOM heads of government conference on the spill raises eyebrows. 

The region's stakeholders, from environmental activists to affected fishermen, demand accountability and clarity on cleanup responsibilities. 

The Caribbean's tourism, the lifeline for many islands, hangs in the balance, awaiting answers and action amidst this unprecedented environmental threat.