ANOTHER call is being to Energy Minister Franklin Khan to investigate alleged reports of a tilting tanker in Venezuelan waters, at risk of capsizing and spilling 1.3 million barrels of crude oil in the Gulf of Paria.
On Wednesday, Fishermen and Friends of the Sea (FFOS) wrote to Khan informing him of these reports coming from Venezuela through Publication Cronica Uno and circulating on global media through Reuters.
FFOS Secretary Gary Aboud said, “Given the severity of these reports and the devastating consequences that would occur if the tanker flips, it was disappointing to see Khan’s comments in a newspaper on Thursday, ‘The Maritime Division knows nothing.'”
Aboud said the minister’s failure to call for a probe into this matter was concerning and deeply troubling.
He reminded Khan of the agreement between Venezuela and Trinidad and Tobago regarding delimitation of marine and submarine areas: “The Contracting Parties shall adopt all measures for the preservation of the marine environment in the marine areas to which the present Treaty refers.
Consequently, the Parties agree: (C) To inform each other about any indication of actual, imminent or potential pollution of a serious nature which occurs in the maritime frontier zone.”
As a result, Aboud called on Khan to treat with these reports seriously to preserve TT’s marine environment.
