Caribbean Energy Chamber

2024,  02/21

The Caribbean Energy Chamber Inc (CEC) has been officially established in St Lucia.

The CEC is being launched for greater global recognition of the energy challenges and to prioritise affordable net-zero energy security for the region.

“The new pan-Caribbean chamber is a non-profit, non-partisan and independent organisation governed by a 23-member founding board for the first three years, with CEC members electing a new Board on an annual basis thereafter. CEC membership will comprise companies and individuals from the Caribbean and around the globe,”

Melanie Chen, the founding chair said: “CEC will serve as a hub for uniting all energy stakeholders in the Caribbean, including those from both public and private sectors (demand and supply sides). We will be hosting workshops, roundtables, and breakout sessions at conferences aimed at enabling actions to help the implementation of energy transition and security in the Caribbean.”

Inauguration of CEC, with headquarters in St Lucia, is seen as timely and valuable by regional governments and institutions. This is due to the open nature of regional economies and the pragmatic foreign policy of most leaders.

As part of its initial efforts, CEC will focus on key areas including energy efficiency and public awareness; technical capacity rollout—which includes an engineering pilot programme with Grenada and Trinidad and Tobago; grid modernisation and promoting distributed generation; assisting to develop bankable projects and looking at a bundling approach on a national/ regional level versus project level.

“We share this vision with the region’s leadership and that will be reflected in the pragmatic approach of CEC. This approach is important as the Caribbean is faced with major issues such as climate change and conflict which directly or indirectly affect the region.”

Eugene Tiah, founding President & CEO, noted, “These issues hold significant importance. Climate change has a disproportionate impact on the Caribbean and requires global collaboration to address its effects. Additionally, geopolitical tensions outside the Caribbean like the Russian invasion of Ukraine resulted in soaring food and energy prices, underscoring the volatility of the global market.”

Given these concerns, Chen expressed optimism about collaboration within the Caribbean as well as with the global community, highlighting the importance of recognizing differences while focusing on shared values.

“Cooperation serves as a platform that focuses on enhancing Caribbean energy security through sustainable policies that have a positive and lasting impact on the everyday individual. By embracing collaboration to find practical solutions for the energy transition challenges in the Caribbean, we recognize it as a chance to engage with all potential partners for the region’s future.”

Verne Emmanuel, founding Deputy Chair, indicated that as a regional, self-sustaining cooperative mechanism, CEC will contribute to the enhancement of energy security and enable the region to effectively address present and future challenges.

CEC is in the process of onboarding members from across the Caribbean from all the various sectors and is encouraging wide application for membership since a significant part of the value of CEC is derived from the membership having a voice in defining what priorities should be addressed at a pan-Caribbean level by CEC.

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Castries/Georgetown/Port of Spain)–

CaribbeanEnergyChamber Inc. (CEC )has been officially launched.

CEC is being established for greater global recognition of the energy challenges faced by the Caribbean and to prioritize affordable net zero energy security for the region. The new pan-Caribbean chamber is a non-profit,non-partisan and independent organization governed by a 23 member founding Board for the first three years,with CEC members electing a new Board on an annual basis thereafter. CEC membership will comprise entities and individuals from the Caribbean and around the globe.

According to Melanie Chen, the founding Chair, “CEC will serve as a hub for uniting all energy stakeholders in the Caribbean, including those from both public and private sectors (demand and supply sides).We will be hosting workshops, round tables, and breakout sessions at conferences aimed at enabling actions to help the implementation of energy transition and security in the Caribbean.”

The establishment of CEC with its headquarters in Saint Lucia is seen as timely and valuable by regional governments and institutions. This is due to the open nature of Caribbean economies and the pragmatic foreign policy of most Caribbean leaders.

They actively collaborate with international institutions and allies worldwide to ensure the well-being of their citizens. As part of its initial efforts,CECwill focus on key areas including energy efficiency and public awareness; technical capacity rollout–which includes an engineering pilot programme with Grenada and Trinidad and Tobago; grid modernization and promoting distributed generation; assisting to develop bankable projects and looking at a bundling approach on a national/regional level versus project level.

Ms Chensaid,“We share this vision with the region’s leadership and that will be reflected in the pragmatic  approach of CEC.   This approach is important as the Caribbean is faced with major issues such as climate change and conflict which directly or indirectly affect the region.”

EugeneTiah, founding President &CEO,noted,“These issues hold significant importance. Climate change has a disproportionate impact on the Caribbean and requires global collaboration to address its effects. Additionally,geopolitical tensions outside the Caribbean like the Russian invasion of Ukraine resulted in soaring food and energy prices,underscoring the volatility of the global market.”

Given these concerns, Ms. Chen expressed optimism about collaboration between the Caribbean itself as well as with the global community, highlighting the importance of recognizing our differences while focusing on our shared values.

“Cooperation serves a sa platform that focuses on enhancing Caribbean energy security through sustainable policies that have a positive and lasting impact on the everyday individual. By embracing collaboration to find practical solutions for the energy transition challenges in the Caribbean, we recognize it a sa chance to engage with all potential partners for theregion’s future.”

Verne Emmanuel, founding Deputy Chair, expressed his own optimism that as a regional, self-sustaining cooperative mechanism, CEC will contribute to the enhancement of the Caribbean’s energy security and enable the region to effectively address present and future challenges. CEC is in the process of onboarding members from across the Caribbean from all the various sectors and is encouraging wide application for membership, since a significant part of the valueof CEC is derived from from the membership having a voice in defining what priorities should be addressed at a pan-Caribbean level by CEC.

Caribbean Energy Chamber Inc. thanks the Government of Saint Lucia for their support and for an efficient establishment procedure. For more information CEC,please visit  http://www.caribbeanenergychamber.org
or email    info@caribbeanenergychamber.org

 

 

 

Suriname

Fabio Palmigiani,  Rio de Janeiro, 16 February 2024

Petronas has started a fresh exploration programme offshore as the Malaysian oil company under chief executive Tengku Muhammad Taufik seeks additional hydrocarbon volumes at a promising block in the vicinity of a cluster of major discoveries.

Petronas and project partner ExxonMobil have already made two finds — Sloanea-1 and Roystonea-1 — in Block 52, adding hopes that a second production development may be on the cards in Suriname.

TotalEnergies and APA Corporation are proceeding with plans to produce from the joint Sapakara-Krabdagu project in adjacent Block 58, with first oil tentatively scheduled for later this decade.

 

 

 

 

 

Guyana Energy Conference
Caricom has its own energy answers

2024, 02/21

TT Minister of Energy Stuart Young, in an address on Day 2 at the Guyana Energy Conference & Supply Chain Expo in Georgetown, urged greater collaboration among Caricom states to address energy security concerns within the region. Minister Young said such an effort was the best answer to external pressures being placed on the region to suddenly address climate change and renewable energy demands.

“It is going to cost US$14 billion to move the Caricom island states to renewables. Put quite simply, that is not realistic, because when you look at the financial feasibility and the bankability of changing the grids, moving to renewables, it simply isn’t there on population size, on island space size, etc,” said Young, who explained the pooled resources of Caricom could provide a solution.

“We hold part of the solution in this dilemma for the rest of Caricom, and it is incumbent upon us to push and to fight hard to be able to utilise the resources in our region to first of all, provide that energy security for the region and then also to offer options outside of the region. Out of the 640,000 plus barrels of oil a day being produced by Guyana natural resources owned by the people of Guyana, how much of that is actually being utilised for the energy security of the region?

“Our ability in Trinidad and Tobago to produce more LNG because we have existing capacity at our plants and what we’re looking for is access to proven reserves of gas that can be and must be an important part of the solution for the other Caricom islands, as they move to changing and updating their energy production and their electricity production, because they can use LNG and use natural gas for the production of their electricity. It’s more efficient. It is part of the transition.”

Young urged Guyana to use Trinidad and Tobago’s facilities to kickstart their industry as opposed to delaying it while waiting for its facilities to come online and receive buy-in from foreign investors.

“If we were to collaborate, for example, right there in Trinidad there is existing plug in, send your gas resources and you receive the return immediately. No wait, no moratorium, no need for incentives, an immediate return on your natural resources that you then use for the infrastructure of your countries, as a return for the people of your respective countries.

My message is about us taking control of our own destiny. We are sophisticated enough.”

 

 

 

‘Caricom should bet on itself’

2024, 02/25

Prime Minister Keith Rowley cut the ribbon to formally open Guyana’s 2024 Energy Conference and Supply Chain Expo on Monday.

Caricom should bet on itself. This was a common rallying call over the opening days of the Guyana Energy Conference and Supply Chain Expo. Both TT Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley and Guyana President Dr Irfaan Ali stressed that collaboration within the region was essential.

On day two, the common theme was continued with TT Minister of Energy, Stuart Young and Guyana Minister of Natural Resources Vickram Bharrat stressing that reinvestment in the region’s resources would prove crucial for Caricom to push forward.

Minister Bharrat, in particular, noted that the region was very resource-rich in areas the first world currently yearned. Despite Guyana’s development as an energy sector player in recent years, the country would not neglect the roots of its economy.

“Over 25,000 Guyanese are directly or indirectly employed in the forestry sector,” said Bharrat, during his presentation on day two of the energy conference, “We intend to continue the exploration and production of our natural resources in a responsible and sustainable manner. Because most of the employment created in these sectors will not be matched by the oil and gas sector even when we achieve 1.5 million barrels a day in about another four to five years. The oil and gas sector still will not employ as many people as are employed in the agricultural sector or the forestry sector or the mining sector of Guyana and that is why it is so critical.”

“We have adopted a model where we are continuing to use revenue from the oil and gas sector to incentivise and to grow the other sectors that our economies have been built on for decades since we gained Independence.”

Such investments would also be beneficial to the region’s food security push, as the development of Guyana’s agriculture sector was seen as a major driver of Caricom 25 by 2025 initiative which is geared toward significantly reducing the region’s food import bill.

Despite regional resources, the First World still largely attempted to dictate terms to the region. This, in particular, is showcased in the imbalance about the calls for energy transitions.

In many cases Caricom states were not the major culprits in terms of climate change, with Guyana itself being one of the few countries in the world currently listed as carbon-negative. Yet the region was among the most pressured to make adjustments.

This pressure was intensified, because like much of the world, the region did not have the necessary capital, in this case US$14 billion immediately available to make the transition demanded.

It must be an equitable energy transition for the Caricom states. However, Minister Bharrat felt the region could show the rest of the world the way, as it currently housed two of the largest forested countries in Guyana and Suriname, with another Caricom state, Belize also boasting significant forestry.

“Caricom can become a leader or a shining example in showing how we can balance the development of our nation with the preservation of our environment, and we believe that is what is necessary in our discussion. We cannot be at either extreme end,” said Bharrat.

Shortly after Bharrat left the podium, T&T’s Energy Minister Young also addressed the demands made in the wake of climate change concerns.

“The whole of Latin America, and the Caricom region contribute less than 3 per cent of global emissions. But once again, we’re on the cusp of certain developed countries taking positions that will affect our utilisation of our natural resources. As a place, for example, carbon tax on the products coming from our region, make it more difficult and less competitive.

Climate change we are well aware of because again, ironically, our small island states face on an annual basis, the direct effects of this global climate change. We have seen in the last few years significantly changed weather patterns. Our islands face the scourge of hurricanes that can wipe out a whole country’s GDP, as happened in our sister country Dominica, a few years ago and then the struggle to get back up,” said Young, who used this point to reaffirm the common rallying call.

“We need to collaborate at this stage and take the responsibility. I’ve listened for the last few days, and even before this, to the conversations about energy security and fueling transformation and modernisation. Right now in Caricom, many of our island states are facing the dilemma of what to do with the electricity grid, as they’ve reached that aged position where we now need to take decisions and there is this push towards renewables,” said Young, who like Bharrat, noted the US$14 billion figure was out of reach of the region.

“Put quite simply, that is not realistic, because when you look at the financial feasibility and the bankability of changing the grids, moving to renewables, it simply isn’t there on population size, on island space size, etc.”

Tobago boasted the longest standing forest reserve in the Western hemisphere.
“Sixty per cent of the island is under forests. We have a teak plantation where teak is being regenerated but we don’t hear that as part of the conversation when the pressure is being put on us. So it comes now to the issue of collaboration. If we collaborate together, if we share information, if we share experiences it can strengthen not only our voice but it can strengthen our positions as we operate in a very dynamic, very sophisticated world that is the world of energy,” said Young.

This collaboration could particularly help Guyana in its bid to grow its energy sector and by proxy speed up its reinvestment in itself and the region.
“How long would it take the people who own those resources to get the returns of the revenues from it? Don’t you have to offer tax holidays, don’t you have to offer moratoriums? Don’t you have to offer incentives for the expenditure of those billions? Don’t you then have to put down the type of infrastructure for the shipping of it out etc. and the recurrent cost as opposed to if we were to collaborate for example right there in Trinidad. There is an existing plug-in; send your gas resources and you receive the return immediately,” said Young.

The Guyana Energy Conference and Supply Chain Expo ended on Thursday.

 

 

 

Rowley seeks regional collaboration

2024, 02/20

Regional collaboration was the focal point of  T&T Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley’s message to all local, regional and international energy players at the 2024 Guyana Energy Conference and Supply Chain Expo.

During the opening ceremony in Georgetown, Rowley said the region has been given a valuable chance to work together to ensure energy and industrial transformations for the benefit of all. With Caribbean citizens desperate for more seamless regional travel, Rowley said the solution would come from the joint effort by Guyana, Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago, which was well on its way.

“We in the deep southern Caribbean are currently actively engaged in spawning a cargo ferry service which we are confident can grow into a major catalyst for welcomed regional collaboration, development and diversification.”

Guyana’s president Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali expounded on collaborating to bring the much anticipated ferry service onboard with a focus on how it will help improve the movement and distribution of cargo, as well as prove to the rest of the world that it is profitable to move goods and services across the region.

The collaboration did not stop at the Caribbean Sea as the Prime Minister also advocated for more partnerships in the hydrocarbon sector, touting T&T’s 100 years of expertise in the oil and gas industry. Like Guyana, the country is pursuing the exploration and development of hydrocarbon resources as well as a lower carbon economy.

Given the role of hydrogen produced from renewable energy resources in the energy transition, there is an opportunity for industry players to embrace hydrogen in the creation of a sustainable downstream industry.

“We are open to collaborating with our regional neighbours in the development of the region’s hydrocarbon resources through the sharing of our knowledge, expertise and infrastructure in commercial activity. Linking the energy and industrial transformations enabled by the energy transitions to a broader economic cooperation would help to ensure that the region makes the most out of its hydrocarbon resources.

”In order to ensure energy security for the region and combat the negative impacts of climate change, it is imperative that we effectively utilise our resources, whether they be hydrocarbon or renewable, through collaborative efforts. Only by working together can we attain our objective of fostering productive and resilient economies in what promises to be an increasingly hostile business environment.”

With energy at the heart of sustainable economic development, it was imperative to transform the energy system to meet the increasing energy demand while lowering global emissions will require a broad energy mix, and unprecedented collaboration across all sectors and countries.

Despite the opposition suggesting that the decision of Methanex to close its Atlas methanol plant in Point Lisas was a sign of the country’s economic collapse, Rowley said the oil industry will not cease to continue to drive T&T’s economic development any time soon.

“Economic development of Trinidad and Tobago has been driven by monetisation of the country’s oil and gas resources and this will continue into the foreseeable future.”

The energy conference theme is Fuelling Transformation and Modernisation which aims to foster the exchange of innovative ideas, proposals, and strategies for substantial advancements within the energy sector.

Rowley was accompanied by Minister of Energy and Energy Industries Stuart Young.
Mickela Panday was also in attendance at the expo which will end on February 22, following which the Prime Minister will attend the 46th Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Caricom.

 

 

 

 

Hydrographic survey of wreck completed

28 February Day 22

The Ministry of Energy says the initial investigative hydrographic survey of the wreck off the coast of the Cove Eco Industrial Park, Tobago, has been completed.

A capsized barge, Gulfstream, ran aground on a reef since February 7 and has been polluting the south-western coast of Tobago with what the Ministry of Energy has identified as bunker fuel. The Ministry of Planning noted that preliminary tests by the Institute of Marine Affairs revealed that the oily spill is diesel-like.

The spill arrived offshore Grenada and Bonaire, according to the BBC.

On February 28, the energy ministry said the survey conducted around the wreck collected water column data, multibeam bathymetry and Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR). Data from this survey would inform a three-dimensional wire frame map for imagery of the seabed and charts with localised water depth at the wreck.

The survey will help identify any hazards and debris to safely allow for the support vessel to be mobilised to location and alongside the wreck. Simultaneously, the response team will begin the deployment of the NOFI Current Buster Technology, part of the high-speed oil containment system.

 

 

Spill spreads to Bonaire

Published
28 February Day 22

By Vanessa Buschschlüter
BBC News

Oil leaking from a capsized barge off the coast of Tobago spread hundreds of miles to the island of Bonaire, located 50 miles (80km) north of the Venezuelan coast.

Officials on Bonaire, said the oil posed a “serious threat to both humans and nature”.

The island is the latest to have been contaminated with oil from the barge which ran aground earlier this month. It is still unclear who owns the barge and what may have caused it to sink.

The authorities on Bonaire, which is a special municipality of the Netherlands, said the island’s east coast, including Sorobon, Lac and Lagun, had been polluted. They warned that mangrove, fish and coral ecosystems were at risk.

The oil leak was first spotted by the Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard on 7 February. They traced it to a barge which had become lodged on a reef about 150m (500 ft) off Tobago’s southern coast. There was no crew on board the barge and the Coast Guard had not received any distress signals. They spotted the name “Gulfstream” painted on the side of the wreck.

Trinidad and Tobago authorities said the barge originated in Panama and had been towed by a tugboat. They said it appeared “to have been bound for Guyana”.

Online investigative journalism site Bellingcat suggested the barge stopped in late January in Pozuelos Bay, a Venezuelan port used by the state-owned PdVSA oil company. The barge may have started leaking oil as early as 3 February. The whereabouts of the boat which had tugged the barge are not currently known. The prime minister of Trinidad and Tobago declared a national emergency on 11 February. The country’s Office of Disaster Preparedness and Management is trying to contain the spillage but oil continues to leak from the barge.

Trinidad and Tobago Weather Center said satellite images suggested the oil slick had spread into the marine area of Grenada as early as 14 February.

From there, it appears to have been driven further westward to Bonaire where officials are particularly concerned for the mangroves, among the best preserved in the Caribbean Sea..

 

 

US experts to salvage capsized barge

February 20, 2024 Day 14
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP)

The government of Trinidad and Tobago is partnering with international experts to remove the wreckage of a barge that capsized offshore Tobago , causing a major spill. T&T Salvage, a Texas-based company, and QT Environmental, of Minnesota, will work with local officials to clean up the spill that has polluted the Caribbean Sea and Tobago beaches since 7 February.

The incident, prompted the government to declare a national emergency, forcing closure of at least two schools. Divers are expected to find and plug leaks on the overturned barge while crews deploy an underwater oil-detection system.

The government hired a remote operated vehicle to help with the ongoing work. Crews and equipment will arrive within a week. A preliminary investigation found that the barge departed from Panama and was being tugged to Guyana before it began to sink off Tobago’s coast. Authorities seek more details, including location of the tugboat and its owner.

Non-profit Fishermen and Friends of the Seas questioned who will pay for the cleanup costs and compensate fishermen for lost livelihood and damaged equipment.

 

 

Trinidad government hires two firms to recover sunken oil barge

Curtis Williams & Aurora Ellis

HOUSTON, Feb 20 (Reuters) -Day 14

Trinidad and Tobago Ministry of Energy said it has hired two remediation and salvage firms to help clean up an ongoing oil spill off Tobago and salvage the leaking barge, It has been almost two weeks since the oil spill was first discovered off Tobago’s Atlantic coast after a barge ran aground on a reef.

The spill has entered the Caribbean Sea, threatening nearby Venezuela and Grenada. An international partnership comprising T&T Salvage LLC and QT Environmental Inc, both subject matter experts and licensed oil spill removal organizations, has been engaged on water oil recovery, survey, and plans to conduct cargo lightering and wreck removal.

The barge, which was being towed by a tug boat when it went aground, carried as much as 35,000 barrels of fuel oil. The tug and its operator have not been disclosed.

Several beach and golf resorts in Tobago popular with foreign tourists have closed access to the ocean. Scarborough cruise ship port is being protected from the spill by containment booms.

Trinidad and Tobago’s Energy Minister Stuart Young told Parliament the government was trying to identify the owners of the barge and has sent diplomatic notes to the governments of Panama, Aruba and Guyana. They believe the barge was being towed from Panama to Guyana via Aruba when it sank.

 

 

 

TEMA: All equipment for cleanup on the island

2024, 02/18 Day 12

Director of the Tobago Emergency Management Agency Allan Stewart confirmed that all the equipment needed for clean-up operations of the spill are currently on the island. Containment was in effect.

“We are making sure that there are crews out there ensuring that it is contained. The leak has spread to neighbouring Grenada’ territorial waters but we have started to clean up from Scarborough and we are moving down to Lambeau at this time.”

Skirtings placed on the roadside prevent fuel from entering the road. “And we have all the equipment that we need on the island to speed up the process in terms of cleanup. It continues apace. We are making steady progress. We are focusing on those areas going further South West.”

On Friday, TEMA partnered with the Maritime Services Division, Ministry of Works and Transport to host an impactful oil spill training at the Joint Operations Command Centres in Lambeau and Scarborough.

RAC Rempeitc Agency of Curacao led the two informative sessions, which promoted community engagement, complying with regulations and fostering effective response coordination. The training sessions covered crucial topics: basic cleanup, hazards, and occupational safety and health, all of which contribute to a proactive and resilient approach to mitigating the impact of oil spills on both the environment and communities.
The National Disaster Management Agency (NaDMA) in Grenada continues to carefully monitor the oil spill.

NaDMA held meetings with the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency, the Caribbean Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology, the Regional Marine Pollution Emergency, the Information and Training Centre, and the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Management in T&T.

 

 

 

 

Over 350 vessels named Gulfstream

2024. 02/18

Minister of Energy Stuart Young told the Parliament in Trinidad there are over 350 vessels named Gulfstream, which makes it difficult for state agencies to find the owner of the capsized barge off the Tobago coast.

Young said currents, low visibility, and accessibility impeded efforts.of expert divers who swam to the hull several times to gather information.

Responding to Opposition MP Rudranath Indarsingh, Young said the Maritime Division, Coast Guard and other intelligence agencies, including CARICOM IMPACS,were assisting in tracing and tracking the identity of the vessel’s owner. They are all aware of occasions in international trade when illegal activities occur at sea.

“The first thing we need to understand is that this vessel probably overturned somewhere in international waters. There was absolutely no debris found anywhere near where the vessel eventually ended up, which is upside down on a reef, unfortunately in Tobago waters.”

Government has ascertained that the wreck contained fuel which laboratories said was likely to be Bunker C fuel, which is not crude oil. This fuel was on its way to Guyana. The barge seemed to have stopped in Aruba, a possible fuel source, and the satellite imagery showed up that the vessel was on tow. Government took action immediately after learning about the spill on February 7, the same day the Tobago House of Assembly learned of it from fishermen.

Earlier, Indarsingh noted Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley said the main task was to empty the vessel in a control operation. Rowley said Government was assessing the scope and seeking expertise where necessary.

“Ten days later, you are still analysing the scope and what is required. Lift the disaster tier to level three and get the necessary expertise and competencies to deal with the issue because the oil continues to impact the coastline,” Indarsingh said.

 

 

Mystery slick threatens Caribbean Coasts

A mysterious oil slick near Tobago’s coast resulted in a national emergency, as cleanup efforts continue and officials search for the owners of the responsible tug and barge, Solo Creed and Gulfstream.

14 Feb 2024 Day 8 BNN

Mystery Vessel Runs Aground offshore Tobago

Unraveling the Mystery
A week ago, an oil slick was discovered near Tobago’s coast, originating from a capsized vessel. As the spill spreads into the Caribbean Sea, neighboring countries are on high alert. Satellite images and models suggest the potential reach of the spill to other beaches in Trinidad and Tobago and even beyond their borders. In an attempt to contain the damage, efforts are being made to locate the owners of the tug and barge responsible for the disaster.

Identifying the Culprits
Officials in Tobago identified the tug, named Solo Creed, which was towing the barge Gulfstream before it capsized. Satellite images reveal the oil slick spreading up to 78 nautical miles in the sea.

Cleanup operations are underway with assistance from volunteers and companies like BP providing resources. The government is working diligently to identify the vessel’s owner and hold them accountable for the environmental catastrophe.

Impact and Response
Trinidad and Tobago declared a ‘national emergency’ after the oil spill coated numerous beaches along the nation’s southwest coast. The spill blackened about 15km of coastline on Tobago, with the extent and cause still under investigation. The spill threatens the tourism sector and the environment, prompting Prime Minister Keith Rowley to take immediate action.

The second largest oil producer in the region is experienced in handling such incidents. Cleanup efforts are ongoing and Trinidad and Tobago is receiving regional support in the investigation. The Minister of National Security has acknowledged assistance in identifying the vessel owners and managing the crisis.

As the oil spill continues to spread in the Caribbean Sea, the situation remains critical. The future of the region’s coastal ecosystems and the livelihoods of those who depend on them hang in the balance. The ongoing investigation and cleanup efforts serve as a stark reminder of the importance of environmental stewardship and the far-reaching consequences of negligence. For now, the people of Tobago and the wider Caribbean community watch and wait, hoping for a swift resolution to the crisis and a return to the pristine beaches they once knew.

 

 

 

 

Guyana wants full probe of spill

2024, 02/22  Day 16

The probe into the spillage of fuel into the Caribbean Sea from the sunken Gulfstream barge took a new twist after Guyana media reported that Guyana Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo, sought a full probe of the incident.

Multiple sources close to the Guyana government and the state-owned Guyana Power and Light Company revealed that the vessel was destined for Guyana with fuel for the Guyana Power and Light Company, which denied any link to the vessel.

However, a source close to GPL confirmed that there may have been an arrangement for fuel to be supplied to the company but the arrangement may have been shelved.

The barge, which capsized and overturned off the coast of Tobago on February 7, spilled thousands of gallons of Bunker C fuel into the sea, causing a major clean-up exercise for the Tobago House of Assembly and authorities.

Both Guyana and T&T are investigating the incident, since the crew of the Solo Creed, which was towing the barge, are still to be located.

Jagdeo said that there is need for a full probe with regard to the incident and the possible links to the GPL.

“We should have a full-fledged investigation, and we want to establish what the facts are. And if the fuel was to come to GPL, we should know about that. But from what they have said, so far they have said to us that they had no agreement with any company that has been identified globally, these are the companies that own the tug and the vessel that overturned in Trinidad and Tobago, they have no commercial engagement with them.”

While there may have been no engagement or agreement with the companies that own the overturned vessel or the barge that was accompanying it, there was reportedly a deal with Guyanese individuals to supply the fuel to the power company. Those individualsare believed to have contracted the vessel and the barge to ship the fuel to Guyana for sale to GPL.   Jagdeo said that the state-owned power company should make its records and contracts available.

“GPL should make available to you, all of the information, these were publicly tendered, and they should make that available and who won the contracts.”

There was also concern about the source of the fuel that was spilled. Marine tracker websites show the vessel was picked up in satellite images in Pozuelo Bay, Venezuela, during the entire final week of January.

It is suspected that over 35,000 barrels of fuel might have been purchased from Venezuela, which would be against current US sanctions against that country.  Jagdeo said he was unaware of the original source of the fuel.

“I am not sure about where the fuel was bought, but the thing is that GPL can easily give you the dates when we tendered, the bids they received, who won the bids and the contractual arrangements we had with them, full transparency on this matter.”

Guyana’s Minister of Public Works Juan Edghill, who holds ministerial responsibility for GPL, said conversations on the matter were ongoing.

“As far as I am aware, all of those conversations have been ongoing between the relevant stakeholders and that is what I will say at this time.”

Maritime sources probing the satellite images recorded by tanker tracker websites, revealed that the last images of the vessel being towed were captured two days before the catastrophic fuel spill. It is also believed that based on the satellite images captured, the vessels were being tracked throughout their journey and just before the spill.

T&T and Guyana authorities have been working closely on the probe into the spill, as they attempt to ascertain ownership of the overturned vessel and whereabouts of the crew.

Georgetown businessman Mohamed Qualander, of the Queensway Company, had distanced himself from ownership of the vessels associated with the spill and any linkages to trading fuel. Qualander said he has never owned any fuel boat and has never been involved in the trading of fuel in Guyana or anywhere else in the world.

He made it clear he has no knowledge of the vessels involved in the incident. The statement was issued by the businessman after an anonymous Facebook page alleged he had links to the vessel that caused the spill. He said he had since filed a police complaint over the social media post.

 

 

 

Spill Drill

2024, 02/20

Managing and mitigating the effects of industrial and environmental incidents. remain a constant challenge for industrialised energy producers. For small islands in the Southern Caribbean Sea, a region of significant oil and gas production, conditions within and outside this region can trigger incidents with severe consequences for health and the environment.

Residents in communities bordering energy and manufacturing plants experienced explosions, fires and ruptured pipelines that disrupted their lives, affected their health and harmed the environment.

The Tobago spill, caused by a mysterious capsized vessel, is the latest reminder that maritime activity also poses serious threats to the marine environment and coastal communities. The profound and far-reaching consequences of these incidents go well beyond immediate physical and financial damages.

TT has suffered air, water and soil pollution, harm to marine life and coastal wetlands and untold long-term environmental damage from many incidents within terrestrial and maritime boundaries. Long before the Tobago spill, the need to strengthen risk management and prioritise concrete actions to reduce risks and mitigate their effects was very clear. With over a century of petroleum production history, T&T has decades of experience with oil spills that should inform response policies and protocols.

One of the deadliest occurred on July 19, 1979, 18 kilometres off the east coast of Tobago, when the 331-metre-long Aegean Captain, carrying 200,000 tonnes of crude oil to Singapore from Aruba, collided with the 325-metre-long Atlantic Empress, taking 276,000 tonnes of crude oil from Saudi Arabia to Beaumont, Texas, USA.

That accident between ships with a capacity equivalent to 3.5 million barrels of oil resulted in 27 fatalities and left 259 square kilometres of the Caribbean Sea covered with an oil sheen within eight kilometres of Tobago. A serious environmental disaster was averted by an ocean current causing the spill to flow north.

Over a decade ago, in December 2013, a major pipeline spill at the then Petrotrin refinery, of approximately 7,500 barrels of oil, affected La Brea and environs and beaches along Trinidad’s south-western peninsula.

In 2017, a rupture in the base of a petroleum storage tank at the refinery caused oil to spill into the Gulf of Paria and spread as far as the Venezuela coastline near Guiria.

Alarms were sounded about the potential for a major ecological disaster from The Nabarima, an abandoned Venezuelan tanker, when it started sinking in late 2020, threatening to spill up to 1.3 million barrels of oil into the Gulf of Paria.

Have any lessons been learned from these and other spills? Is there any concern about the impact to fisheries, or how such incidents set back the struggling tourism sector? Amid all of the finger-pointing and accusations swirling around the latest incident, these are questions that need to be answered.

It might also be time to review the National Oil Spill Contingency Plan (NOSCP), implemented a decade ago in anticipation of increased exploration and production activity. Since then, there have been technological advancements, including rapidly evolving artificial intelligence as well as climate change, that might not have been factored into the plan. These are critical issues that demand immediate attention and action.

Comment– Low priority for the incident preceding, during and after the annual Carnival, subsidised by public funds, led to unconscionable delay in seeking foreign experts for a Tier 3 disaster in a world-class petroliferous region.

There was no mention of analysis of spill samples by the Caribbean Industrial Research Institute (CARIRI), a primary agency of the Government of Trinidad and Tobago with responsibility for developing the country’s technological base via the provision of technical and technology-based support services to public and private sectors.

The Institute was established with financial and technical support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO). It was incorporated under Act of Parliament no. 19 of 1971. The Institute’s mandate catered for provision of services to the Caribbean region. The service base is diverse, comprising laboratory-based analytical and engineering services (testing utilizing state-of-the-art, internationally accredited facilities), associated consultancy support, training and applied Research and Development .

The Institute provides a range of technology/technology based support services encompassing Laboratory testing/analytical services via St Augustine and Macoya laboratory facilities. The Petroleum Testing Laboratory has been providing analytical services to the petroleum sector, locally and regionally, for over 50 years. State of the art technologies in laboratories ensure that products are accurately tested and evaluated.

Supported by experienced staff, the Petroleum Testing laboratory maintains ISO 17025 accreditation for key petroleum tests including ASTM D86, ASTM D1945 and GPA 2186. CARIRI offers testing services for: Natural Gas, Crude Oil and Condensates, Fuels(including Gasoline and Diesel), Petroleum Products and Oilfield Chemicals.

 

 

 

Spill enters Grenada offshore

2024, 02/16   Day 10

Grenada contacted the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency and other partners, as possible oil from the Tobago slick has entered its marine sphere of responsibility.

New satellite data analysed by the Tobago Emergency Management Agency, captured at 5.37 am, indicated the possible oil slick had extended approximately 63 nautical miles or 118 kilometres west-northwest of Tobago. The extent of the slick now spans approximately 30 kilometres outside Trinidad and Tobago’s Economic Exclusive Zone (EEZ), the marine area for which T&T is responsible.

According to TEMA, this possible oil slick originates from the Gulfstream wreck, approximately 150 metres off the southern coast of Tobago and is nearly 78 nautical miles or 144 kilometres in length.

TEMA said they have a high confidence level “attributed to the known suspected point source,” meaning the slick comes from the capsized barge.

“Variations in slick thickness were noted, and a thin oil-like substance was present in the imagery. Drone surveillance and ground truthing were also conducted to increase the confidence level.”
TEMA requested “advanced aerial truthing” to be conducted via a flyover by the T&T Air Guard.

Grenada is already preparing for the possibility of oil arriving on coasts.

Grenada’s National Disaster Management Agency (NaDMA) said they have “evoked the tenets of its oil spill hazard-specific protocol and contacted the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA), as well as other local and regional partners to assist as a precautionary measure.”

NaDMA convened an emergency meeting of their National Oil Spill Committee, a sub-committee of the National Emergency Advisory Council, to brief members and make preparations should any response arise.

The Grenada government is in contact with T&Ts Ministry of Foreign and Caricom Affairs “to ascertain the extent to which the oil slick is likely to affect Grenada.”

TT Foreign and Caricom Affairs Minister Dr Amery Browne said, “The Ministry of Foreign and Caricom Affairs continues to fulfil its responsibilities in response to the oil spill, within the overall coordinated actions of the Government and other relevant authorities. A comprehensive statement will be made by the Government tomorrow [today], which will address and clarify the actions that are underway.”

As fuel continues to flow out of Gulfstream for the ninth day, fishing vessels from Scarborough to Black Rock have remained grounded. All Tobago Fisherfolk Association president Curtis Douglas explained that once oil washed up onshore in Tobago, he called for a grounding of boats in and around areas that had been and potentially could be affected.

The oil could damage and adversely impact boats, but for those who fish in the areas where oil moved, “the barracuda, snappers and kingfish will be damaged. I don’t want anyone to get infected, so I advised them to pull their vessels up until further notice because I don’t want anyone to get sick.”

With many fisherfolk unable to ply their trade, Douglas said the issue of compensation lies in the hands of the Prime Minister.

“I think the Prime Minister has a responsibility and ownership to assist the fisherfolk in their need because they have children to feed, a family to mind. If we pull up, we think there should be some form of help. This is a national disaster, and I believe a national disaster means that the Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago should do his best to ensure that fisherfolks are duly compensated in whatever and however, they were affected by an incident that they have no ownership or responsibility for.”

Tobago fisherfolk complied with the order to remain out of the water, but Douglas said nearly 30 fisherfolk are using their boats to assist in clean-up efforts at sea.

 

 

 

 

Spill reaching other regions prompting concerns

15 Feb Day 9 The Independent

The massive oil spill that blackened Tobago’s beaches is now advancing to other regions, the country’s emergency team has warned, putting nearby countries on alert. For a week, emergency teams were working round the clock to clean up the 12km (7.46miles) spill off the coast of Tobago, which prompted a “national emergency”.

Keith Rowley, the prime minister, said on Tuesday the situation was “not under control” and the cleanup was expected to take longer.

While it was still unclear how much oil was left, the emergency management agency (TEMA) said some leftover oil was now flowing in the opposite direction away from Tobago shores. Satellite images and models suggest that waves might have taken some of the spill into the Caribbean Sea past northern Venezuela, Reuters news agency reported. This increases the risk that the oil impacts other beaches in Trinidad and Tobago that have coral reefs, and even other countries’ coasts, TEMA director Allan Stewart told Reuters.

“The satellite showed that some of it was moving into the Caribbean Sea, as well as some of the modelling,” Mr Stewart said, adding that an upcoming flight by Trinidad‘s Air Guard is expected to confirm the finding.

Venezuela’s foreign affairs ministry said on Wednesday that the country was monitoring the spill and has initiated meetings with the Trinidad government to coordinate action.
Meanwhile, some mystery began to clear on the origins of the spill.

Mr Rowley earlier said the government had “no idea where it [vessel] came from and we also don’t know all that it contains.”

On Wednesday, the National Security Ministry said in a release that at least two vessels allegedly bound for Guyana – a tugboat and a barge – were involved in an incident that led to the spill.

“The barge was being towed by a tug, the Solo Creed from Panama,” the ministry said, adding that it remains unknown whether any lives were lost in the incident. Authorities in Panama, Aruba and Guyana have been contacted by Trinidad and regional group Caricom to gather information as part of the investigation.

The tugboat and the barge were identified in satellite pictures taken three days before the incident in the Caribbean Sea, reviewed by TankerTrackers.com. According to the monitoring service, the vessels were heading to St Vincent and the Grenadines. The oil was initially spotted around four miles north of the barge near the town of Scarborough. So far, approximately one-third of the 15km of shoreline on Tobago’s Atlantic Ocean has been cleaned and the spill is increasingly under control.

Environment officials said the spill damaged a reef and Atlantic beaches, a dire sign for the environment and tourism industry during the Carnival season.

 

 

 

Green, clean and serene

19 February Day 13

Workers from State-owned Heritage Petroleum Oil and Gas Company cleaned up the spill at Rockly Bay beach, in Scarborough, Tobago.

A clean and environmentally safe Tobago is important to grow the tourism industry.
“The Tobago Business Chamber through its chairman Martin George, urges all citizens to use this disaster as a stark and urgent reminder of the fragility of our delicate ecosystems in this twin-island republic, and more so, the Tobago ecosystem, which not only comprises the beautiful Buccoo and Speyside reefs, but also the numerous beaches, bays and coves which are found all around the island, from the famous Pigeon Point beach to other lesser known gems such as Cotton Bay, Back Bay and Pirates Bay.”

Tobago must preserve and secure the island’s mangroves and rainforests because if Tobago is to live up to its tagline of “Clean, Green & Serene”, then environmental consciousness and preservation of the environment remain paramount, even as residents seek to develop the island’s tourism industry.

The spill occurred on February 7 off the southern shores of Tobago, according to the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Management (ODPM). Initial statements indicated that about 15 kilometres of the coastline “is now blackened”.

The Tobago Hotel and Tourism Association said it is deeply concerned about the environmental impact and potential consequences for Tobago’s local communities and tourism industry. The spill has the potential to raise significant environmental and economic challenges for Tobago.

“As such, we are actively monitoring the situation. We must commend the Tobago Emergency Management Agency (TEMA) and other local authorities for their fast response and applaud their efforts to mitigate the effects that this oil spill can have on our ecosystem. We as an association also stand ready to collaborate with our local authorities, environmental agencies, and other stakeholders to address and mitigate the effects of this unfortunate incident. Our top priority is the safety and well-being of our community members, visitors, and the environment.”

According to the environmental website, ecowatch.com, oil spills can take many years to completely clean up. Often, several methods of clean up are employed at once. The type used depends on how much and what type of oil is spilled, where the oil has spilled and its distance from the shore, what species and habitats are being impacted, and whether people live in the area.

The Deepwater Horizon BP Oil Spill of 2010 remains the largest marine oil spill in US history, releasing 210 million gallons of oil into the Gulf of Mexico. Over a decade after the disaster, many marine species in the area are still recovering.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, a department of the US Department of Commerce, there are thousands of very small oil spills in the US alone every year.

Cleaning up oil spills can also be very expensive. Quartz news website showed that the oil spill off California’s coasts in 2015 was 101,000 gallons and cost roughly US$69 million to clean up.

 

 

 

Shell to survey barge

2024, 02/19   Day 13

Chief Secretary Farley Augustine said yesterday that the island is on the verge of completing the clean-up process for the 15 kilometres of shoreline that had been impacted by the oil spill. River barriers installed at Lambeau prevent the spill from entering the wetlands. Augustine also said he did not think there was a cover up by Government but felt all the information was not forthcoming. He revealed a significant decrease in the amount of oil being emitted from the vessel.

“It is tapering off at this point. Whether or not there are other compartments containing this substance, we don’t know, because we don’t have the IMO schematics of the ship. It is still dangerous to dive and manually do it.”

Global oil giant, Shell, will bring specialised equipment to get the specifications of the barge.   While the situation may not be a cover up on Government’s part, he feels certain there is some sort of attempt to hide information somewhere.

“While the cover up may not be at the central Government, Dr Rowley’s government, certainly somebody somewhere sought to have this cover up. What we are being told is that this badge disappeared off radar sometime on February 4. And then the next time it popped up is because we saw that there was a leak happening on February 7.

“The divers cannot locate the IMO number because in the area where the IMO number is usually lodged, that area had thick layers of fuel-like substance around it. So, it was not safe for such a dive to take place. But I have the divers going out this morning again, given that we seen that there is sort of a tapering off of the leak, meaning the volume of leak has reduced significantly, to see if there is a possibility of getting an IMO number today.

“If we’re able to get that today then we can certainly look into the global records through IMO and be able to identify the owner of this vessel,” he said.

Augustine said he remains disappointed that after almost two weeks, no one can identify the vessel’s owner.

“It is in fact disheartening that governments across the region are saying, ‘We don’t know. We don’t know who owns this vessel. It’s a mystery ship. We don’t know where it came from.’ And that suggests to me that this might have been an illegal operation happening and with active energy sectors you have, you will have quite a bit of illegal, black market operations happening with oil and gas,” he explained.

Nonetheless, he said Tobago is ready to help islands that may be affected by the spill.

“It would appear like the stream that escape our theories, waters would be heading in the direction of the ABC (Aruba, Bonaire, and Curacao the three westernmost islands of the Leeward Antilles in the Caribbean Sea) islands.”

Augustine said the island is getting closer to the end of the disaster but without the schematics of the ship, he does not feel confident about an end to the ordeal. He went on to clamour for Caribbean islands to do more to protect their maritime borders and also to partner to establish a regional oil spill response strategy.

On Thursday, the Tobago Emergency Management Agency announced that the spill threatened Grenada.

President of the Grenada Fisherfolk Association  said that while its National Disaster Management Agency (NaDMA) assured Justin Rem members that there is nothing to worry about, fishermen have been on edge.

NaDMA’s director Terrence Walter said that the situation is being monitored. He could not provide much information at the time, “NaDMA continues to monitor the situation…The leak continues, so the risk is present.”

Is fishing safe in Tobago?
19 February Day 13
TT Opposition asks if the waters off Tobago are safe to fish. The question was posed by Couva North MP Ravi Ratiram on February 18. Ratiram, the UNC’s shadow minister of agriculture, asked if any testing was done to determine if it was safe to fish in Tobago waters due to the spill from a capsized barge, identified as the Gulfstream, which was lodged on a reef near Cove, Tobago on February 7.

“We need to hear this information from the government. And if testing was done, what were the results of these tests? Testing not only of where the spill occurred and where the drift occurred but testing of surrounding waters needs to be carried out as well to determine if it has been contaminated in any form beyond the obvious visible hydrocarbon.

“Contamination in an oil spill is not only what can be visibly seen through staining, but crude oil is made up of hydrocarbon and other compounds, so it can have chemicals in the waters that are not visible.”

Ratiram asked if the chemistry, food and drugs division of the Ministry of Health was involved in testing on the island. Boats from Scarborough to Black Rock were grounded and fishermen and their families would be affected. There was silence from the Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries.

“This government clearly lacks empathy. We are calling upon this government, we are calling upon the Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries to institute a compassionate grant for the fisher folks of Tobago.”

 

 

 

 

UNC : Come clean on energy sector, spill

19 Feb Day 13

As the Tobago oil spill gets murkier amid unsuccessful attempts to find the owners of the vessel which continues to leak a black fuel, Energy Minister Stuart Young is under fire from the Opposition. On February 18, Pointe-a-Pierre MP David Lee called on Young to “come clean” on the mystery surrounding the vessel’s ownership, its contents and any affiliation to any energy entities in the country.

“Is the owner of this vessel linked to some energy deal in TT, either at Paria Fuel Trading Company Ltd or Heritage Petroleum Company Ltd or some part of a distribution chain associated with these companies?”

He referred to Young’s statement in the Parliament last Friday that the vessel which may be carrying Bunker C fuel, came from Aruba and was heading towards Guyana.

“Who is Minister Young trying to fool? He figured out what the vessel was carrying. He figured out where the vessel was going, but he isn’t sure if the vessel had an owner. So, this is some sort of magical stray vessel with no owner. Minister Young must come clean and tell us how he knew the vessel was coming from Aruba and going to Guyana, knew what they were carrying, but cannot tell us who the owner is after 12 days.”

Noting that the leaking barge is still affecting the economy, Lee queried the government’s reluctance to trigger the Tier 3 spill level to attract international intervention under the national contingency oil spill plan. Speculating there may be some effort to uphold the secrecy surrounding the vessel which remains overturned in Tobago waters since February 7, he asked

“Is it that they are afraid international attention would reveal the true owners of this vessel?

He referred to similar concerns raised by Chief Secretary of the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) Farley Augustine about carrying this up to a Tier 3 level to get international assistance to seal the leak. He urged more transparency and answers related to what caused this crisis.

Lee was joined by Couva North MP Ravi Ratiram who explained Tier 3 spills are normally large spills requiring substantial resources and support from regional or international oil spill cooperatives to mitigate effects perceived to be wide-reaching. Ratiram noted that the spill has already entered Grenada and possibly Venezuela’s marine realm.

Lee questioned why after 100 years of experience in the industry TT is still unable to cap the leak which continues to affect fisher folks and marine life.

“It is totally incomprehensible that the man stands in the Parliament and says after we have been producing oil for over 100 years, we cannot seal off the oil leak in Tobago or are unable to gather any expertise to seal off the leak. Today as this nation faces a catastrophe of epic proportions with the oil spill in Tobago, Minister Young has kept to his usual play book of ‘no answers, no action and no accountability. Whenever there is an energy-related crisis, Minister Young as regulator runs away from accountability of providing answers.”

Ratiram also questioned the silence of the Ministry of Agriculture as it relates to the safety of the fish for food and any assistance for Tobago fisherfolk. Given that the leaking substance is still unknown, in the circumstance, Ratiram said so too is the toxicity of the chemical that is being spilled into the sea and reaching shorelines that are spreading throughout the ocean and migrating to Grenada and Venezuela.

“Do they know if the spilled chemicals are carcinogenic? What testing has been completed thus far, and what are the results of those tests?”

He asked why this is not being done as the government has a responsibility to ensure that the health and safety of everyone involved in the containment and clean-up activities are preserved.

 

 

 

 

Appeal for regional disaster plan

As a backhoe helped to clean-up the spill along the coast in Tobago., Chief Secretary Farley Augustine and environmental engineer Dr Vincent Adams demanded improved regional standards in the energy industry to protect the environment.

Their appeal follows the oil from a capsized barge, the Gulfstream, lodged on a reef near Cove, Tobago on February 7. The barge was being towed by a tug boat, the Solo Creed, which is yet to be found. Since February 7, an oily leak from the vessel coated the previously pristine shores of Tobago, forcing the closure of beaches, two schools and marine localities. It has been a blow to fishermen who look forward to good sales during the Lenten season.

The wind and currents are also advancing the spill into the Caribbean Sea, including neighbouring Grenada, where Adams described the incident as a wake-up call to the region. The 74-year-old former senior manager at the US Department of Energy, said it is important that regional states work together and plan properly so that oil spills can be tackled expeditiously.

With Guyana, a major oil producer planning to lift production from 645,000 barrels of oil per day to over one million, the region should be ready to act in any disaster, not only at risk for a well blowout or spill. Contingency plans are sometimes the difference between life and death. Frequent exercises to determine readiness and response times are also crucial.

“Every single day there is a ship, probably one every two days; the ship that transports oil from Guyana to all over the world, passes through the Caribbean Sea. If one of those ships is carrying one million barrels of oil – this barge is tiny compared to those ships… With the frequency, the risk increases. We have to be prepared. It’s unfortunate it impacted the beautiful island of Tobago. I cannot overemphasise the importance of having these emergency plans. We’ve gotta have it, and especially in countries such as ours. You cannot wait until an emergency happens…It makes the situation much worse.”

Adams argued that the entire region should be involved in an environmental impact assessment by energy companies.

Using Guyana as an example, he said if a major spill occurs there, “Based on current flow, it’s gonna clear Guyana shores. Trinidad would be wiped completely out, and some other countries all the way to Jamaica.”

Adams is concerned that it has been confirmed that the Gulfstream was being towed to Guyana but the authorities there have yet to produce a manifest to say what were the contents aboard.

“That manifest has to be sent to Guyana before that ship arrives in Guyana. That manifest has a description, an identification, of the product coming into Guyana.

“The (Guyana) VP (Dr Bharatt Jagdeo) had his press conference and he’s claiming he doesn’t know anything about it. Nobody doesn’t seem to know anything about this ship. Whoever is the importer…they have to have a licence to bring it in the country….There has to be information at the destination country. If that manifest doesn’t exist, there is something fishy going on.”

Augustine said the flow of oil from the Gulfstream has slowed, but he is wary that there are more compartments in the vessel filled with cargo.

“We essentially feel we are getting to the end of this, but in the absence of knowing the schematics of the ship, that is something we are unable to be certain about.”

The island was fortunate that some prized tourist sites at Buccoo reef, Pigeon Point beach and Store Bay were unaffected. A wildlife rescue and rehabilitation team has been stationed at the Petit Trou lagoon to assist affected animals.

“We set-up almost like a hospital for wildlife, with triage … Those things are costly exercises. If a territory is not adequately prepared for this kind of thing, you can be decimated in a matter of hours.”

He agreed that a regional approach to safeguarding the environment from energy hazards is necessary.

“With Guyana coming on board as a major oil-producing territory, I hope as a region we do more to protect our environment. Oil spills are inevitable. I can’t say for certain that for the next 100 years we won’t get an oil spill again. We have to prepare. Territories have to have access to booms, the vacuum tanker trucks, skimmers on hand to extract the fuel-like substance, PPEs on site, frac tanks to store spills. We had to make a mad dash to get the specialised equipment from Trinidad to Tobago.”

It was fortunate that TT has an energy industry and the inter-island ferry was able to get equipment to Tobago as soon as possible.

“If something like this happens off the coast of Grenada, St Lucia or Barbados, what is the response? It will be devastating. We have to have regional measures in place.”

He insisted that there is a cover-up of the incident happening.

“While the cover-up may not be at government, certainly somebody somewhere has sought to have this covered up.”

He said with the flow of oil easing, divers have been tasked to find an International Maritime Organization number on the Gulfstream, which would help determine who is its owner.

 

 

 

Tides move slick to the Caribbean Basin

February 15, 2024     Day 9
PORT OF SPAIN, Feb 14 (Reuters) –

A week after an oil spill was first seen nearshore Tobago, portions of the stain are moving in opposite directions into the Caribbean Sea, the Emergency Management Agency (TEMA) said on Wednesday, putting the country’s neighbors on alert.

First responders and volunteers have been trying to contain the 12-kilometer (7.46 miles) spill, emerging from a vessel that had capsized, to avoid impacting a nearby cruise ship port, but the leak has not been plugged. Satellite images and models suggest that waves might be taking some of the spill into the Caribbean Sea past northern Venezuela, increasing the risk that the oil impacts other beaches and coral reefs in Trinidad and Tobago , and even other countries’ coasts, TEMA’s director Allan Stewart told Reuters.

“The satellite showed that some of it was moving into the Caribbean Sea, as well as some of the modeling,” Stewart said. An upcoming flight by Trinidad’s Air Guard is expected to confirm the finding.

Venezuela’s Foreign Affairs Ministry said on Wednesday that the country was monitoring the spill and has initiated meetings with Trinidad to coordinate action.

Trinidad’s Coast Guard found that at least two vessels allegedly bound for Guyana – a tugboat and a barge – were involved in an incident that led to the spill. The National Security ministry said the barge was being towed by a tug, the Solo Creed from Panama, it remains unknown whether any lives were lost in the incident. Authorities in Panama, Aruba and Guyana have been contacted by Trinidad and regional group Caricom to gather information as part of the investigation.

The tugboat and barge were identified in satellite pictures taken three days before the incident in the Caribbean Sea, reviewed by TankerTrackers.com. According to the monitoring service, the vessels were heading to St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

Photographs posted by TEMA showed progress cleaning up Tobago beaches. Approximately one-third of the 15 kilometers of shoreline on Tobago’s Atlantic Ocean has been cleaned and the spill is increasingly under control, Stewart said.

 

 

 

Tobago spill is now flowing to other regions prompting concerns

Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Keith Rowley says situation ‘not under control’

Thursday 15 February 2024

 

 

 

 

 

Statement by IMF Deputy Managing Director Bo Li at the Conclusion of his visit to St. Kitts and Nevis

February 16, 2024  Washington, DC

IMF Deputy Managing Director Bo Li visited St. Kitts and Nevis from February 14-16, where he met Prime Minister Terrance Drew and held meetings with Governor Timothy Antoine, Chairman Camillo Gonsalves, and the members of the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB) Monetary Council. At the conclusion of his trip, Mr. Bo Li issued the following statement:

“I would like to thank Prime Minister Terrance Drew and the members of the ECCB Monetary Council for their warm welcome and constructive discussions on the economic prospects of St. Kitts and Nevis. During our engagements, I welcomed the potential benefits of the country’s large renewable energy resources and ongoing policy initiatives to build a sustainable and resilient island nation.

“The existential threat of climate change is acutely felt in the Caribbean. At the same time, the region has large renewable energy potential. The immense challenges and opportunities involved in climate adaptation and mitigation require a holistic set of climate policies, while ensuring that strong public finance and debt sustainability policies are in place.

“I want to underscore the strong progress that has been made by St. Kitts and Nevis on climate adaptation and building resilience. Let me also reiterate that the IMF is committed to supporting ECCU member countries, including through policy advice, capacity development, and lending through the Resilience and Sustainability Trust (RST).

“Adaptation investments and the green energy transition require affordable, sustainable, and significant financing. The Caribbean region can benefit from greater collaboration among multilateral development banks, international financial institutions, and bilateral donors to help crowd in private climate finance.”

The Honourable Dr. Terrance Drew, Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis and Chairman of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) proudly embraced the opportunity to forge a deeper partnership with the IMF in advancing the collective developmental aspirations of the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis and the OECS.

“The Government of St. Kitts and Nevis welcomes the opportunity to deepen our relationship with the IMF in advancing the development goals of the OECS through practical solutions to our current and emerging developmental challenges. We must emphasize the importance of regional collaboration. Pooling our resources and leveraging our combined population base can make investments more attractive to private sector entities. I extend my sincere appreciation to Director Bo Li for demonstrating such keen interest in our region and for committing to assisting us in tackling our challenges. Being at the forefront of discussions and practical proposals will enable us to craft practical solutions that yield tangible results.”

The Chairman of the ECCB Monetary Council Honorable Camillo Gonsalves underscored the imperative to accelerate climate adaptation efforts and explore avenues to secure the financial resources needed. Chairman Gonsalves stated:

“I am pleased with the constructive and candid exchange of views during the Monetary Council’s engagement with the IMF Deputy Managing Director, Mr. Bo Li. It is heartening to see the level of care and attention being accorded by the Fund to the affairs of the Currency Union in recent times. The Fund has been exhibiting an awareness of and sensitivity to some of the challenges that the smallest and most vulnerable in the Caribbean and the world face on our development journey. The developmental headwinds that the countries in the region face are well-known – chief among them being vulnerability. In understanding where we are developmentally and structurally, we first need to address the issue of our vulnerability.

“I believe there is more that can be done to address these challenges. We need to place the issue of climate finance and adaptation front and center. I thank Deputy Managing Director Li for his gracious offer to collaborate with the region on two points:

(i) renewable energy – through support for the ECCB’s Renewable Energy Infrastructure Investment Facility; and

(ii) to use the Fund’s convening power to help shine a light on adaptation finance. The adaptation challenges of the region are acute and cannot be financed through the paltry sums currently available. The Monetary Council is grateful for this engagement and looks forward to continuing our collaboration on climate finance.”

IMF Communications Department

 

 

 

 

Saint Lucia: Technical Assistance Report-Report on External Sector Statistics Mission (October 24–28, 2022)

February 16, 2024
Free Download.

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Summary:A technical assistance (TA) mission on external sector statistics (ESS) was conducted to the Central Statistics Office (CSO) of Saint Lucia as part of the Caribbean Regional Technical Assistance Centre (CARTAC) work program on ESS.

The mission focused on improving key source data with the objective to strengthen the compilation of the balance of payments and the international investment position (IIP) statistics. The mission also provided practical advice during its review of the provisional 2021 balance of payments and IIP statistics, which were released in December 2022.

Series:Technical Assistance Report No. 2024/007

 

 

 

 

Statement by the IMF Deputy Managing Director Kenji Okamura on His Visit to the Republic of Suriname

February 13, 2024  Paramaribo, Suriname –

February 13, 2024: Mr. Kenji Okamura, Deputy Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), visited the Republic of Suriname during February 10-13.

During his visit, Mr. Okamura met with his excellency President Chandrikapersad Santohki, Vice President Hon. Ronnie Brunswijk, Chairman of the National Assembly, Hon. Marinus Bee, Minister of Finance Hon. Kermechend Raghoebarsing, Governor of the Central Bank, Hon. Maurice Roemer, the leadership of the National Assembly, senior government officials, and development partners.

Following his visit, Mr. Okamura made the following statement:

“I am delighted to visit Suriname for the first time to see first-hand the progress that the country has made. I would like to thank President Santohki, Vice President Brunswijk, Finance Minister Raghoebarsing, Governor Roemer, and the Surinamese people for the warm welcome and hospitality.

“The government is implementing wide-reaching reforms to restore macroeconomic stability, address long-standing vulnerabilities, and put Suriname onto a path of sustainable and inclusive growth. This home-grown economic reform program is supported by the IMF through the Extended Fund Facility arrangement.

“During our meeting, President Santohki and I discussed Suriname’s economic opportunities and challenges. I congratulated the President for the strong implementation of policies and reforms under the program, which helped achieve the long-awaited macroeconomic stabilization. I stressed the importance of maintaining good policies and reforms to preserve these hard-won gains and improve medium-term growth prospects.

”I discussed with the authorities the need to maintain fiscal prudence to put debt on a firmly downward path and build resilience to future shocks. It is important to persevere with removing wasteful and inefficient subsidies, while at the same time expand social assistance programs so that the poor and vulnerable are protected. In that regard, there is an urgent need to address challenges and bottlenecks with the implementation of the social programs to ensure that social assistance reaches qualified beneficiaries in all the districts of Suriname.

“I also had the opportunity to discuss other important issues, such as public sector reforms, addressing vulnerabilities to corruption, and capacity development needs with senior government officials, the leadership of the legislature and development partners.

“We at the IMF, have a close working relationship with the Surinamese authorities and stand ready to help them in the period ahead in their efforts to help the country entrench macroeconomic stability, strengthen institutions and enhance future growth prospects.”

IMF Communications Department

 

 

Eastern Caribbean Currency Union: IMF Staff Concluding Statement of the 2024 Article IV Mission on Common Policies of Member Countries

February 14, 2024

A Concluding Statement describes the preliminary findings of IMF staff at the end of an official staff visit (or ‘mission’), in most cases to a member country. Missions are undertaken as part of regular (usually annual) consultations under Article IV of the IMF’s Articles of Agreement, in the context of a request to use IMF resources (borrow from the IMF), as part of discussions of staff monitored programs, or as part of other staff monitoring of economic developments.

The authorities have consented to the publication of this statement. The views expressed in this statement are those of the IMF staff and do not necessarily represent the views of the IMF’s Executive Board. Based on the preliminary findings of this mission, staff will prepare a report that, subject to management approval, will be presented to the IMF Executive Board for discussion and decision.

Washington, DC:

The Eastern Caribbean Currency Union (ECCU) has undergone a strong rebound, led by tourism and investment, and supported by policies that helped moderate the impact from successive external shocks.

With output having recovered to its pre-pandemic level, economic policies should shift toward addressing structural constraints to sustainable and resilient growth and supporting continued robustness of the quasi-currency board, which has served the currency union well.

Priorities include safeguarding macroeconomic stability and fiscal space for growth-enhancing physical and social investments, strengthening balance sheets and oversight in the financial sector, supporting local private sector development and investment, and improving the labor market. Strengthening data collection, quality, and transparency is critical to informing a well-calibrated policy design.

1. The ECCU has recorded a strong recovery from successive pandemic and commodity price shocks. Led by a rebound in tourism and investment by public and private sectors, real GDP is estimated to have grown on average by nearly 7 percent per year over 2021-23 and has surpassed pre-pandemic levels.

Inflation has moderated to around 4 percent in 2023 from a commodity price driven peak of 5½ percent in 2022. The economic recovery, high inflation, along with the withdrawal of temporary fiscal measures to ease the social impact of the pandemic and other shocks led to an improvement in fiscal positions.

Nevertheless, overall public debt remains elevated and generally well-above the regional 2035 debt ceiling of 60 percent of GDP. The financial system remains highly liquid and, supported by the since expired loan moratoria, appears to have weathered the recent successive shocks without a major impact.

However, it continues to face long-standing asset quality weaknesses and growing vulnerabilities in the non-bank financial sector in the context of uneven regulation and oversight. Wide post-pandemic current account deficits are narrowing, albeit slowly. The ECCB’s currency backing ratio remains high, supporting confidence in the currency union.

2. Capacity constraints increasingly weigh on the region’s outlook. GDP growth is projected to moderate toward pre-pandemic averages, as tourism performance nears full capacity and continued restoration of public and private sector balance sheets narrows the space for home-grown investment.

The region’s growth and fiscal outlooks are heavily dependent on uncertain Citizenship-by-Investment (CBI) inflows which continue to be subject to international scrutiny. As small economies dependent on imports, tourism, and foreign direct investment.

ECCU countries also remain highly susceptible to volatility in commodity prices and an abrupt growth slowdown in major tourism source countries.

Climate-related disasters remain a recurrent threat with potentially devastating impact.

A. Protecting fiscal space for sustained growth-enhancing physical and social investment

3. Rebuilding fiscal buffers while protecting the fiscal space for infrastructure and social investments remains a regional policy priority.

Amid slowing growth and elevated risks, pursuing a steady reduction in public debt in countries where it is well-above the regional ceiling is critical to maintain macro stability and safeguard the currency board against future shocks. At the same time, fiscal policy space is needed to finance growth and resilience-promoting fiscal spending.

To help manage these competing objectives, continued withdrawal of temporary measures that responded to the cost-of-living crisis is advisable as is the adoption of fuel price pass-through frameworks to protect tax revenue, stabilize demand, and promote green transformation, supported by better coverage and targeting of transfers to the most vulnerable.

In addition, reviving a regional initiative to agree on common benchmarks for streamlined tax exemptions would help avoid a “race-to-the-bottom” tax dynamics and help lift revenue closer to international peers. Finally, pooling of regional resources and expertise can help reduce impediments and costs to qualify for and access international climate finance.

4. Continued efforts to strengthen fiscal institutions and structural reforms are key to underpin efforts to restore fiscal buffers. Building on the success of countries with national fiscal responsibility frameworks (FRFs).

ECCU-wide adoption of national FRFs, designed with well-defined country-specific operational rules and escape clauses to deliver a consistent decline in debt, would strengthen the credibility of the regional debt ceiling.

The calibration should include a cushion to provide fiscal space to respond to shocks. Operationalizing regular ECCB Monetary Council peer reviews of member states’ policy strategies and progress toward meeting the regional debt target would help strengthen fiscal discipline.

The effective implementation of the rules will require further progress in strengthening revenue administration, public investment and debt management, as well as enhancing medium-term fiscal frameworks and state-owned enterprise oversight. In addition, despite some reform efforts, the impact of the pandemic and other shocks, coupled with rapid population ageing, raises the urgency of comprehensive pension reforms to address the looming large contingent fiscal liabilities and improve the fairness and equity of pension systems.

5. Establishing regional standards for CBI programs would help safeguard this critical source of income in the face of persistent international scrutiny. Building on the landmark 2023 US-Caribbean Roundtable Agreement, deepening regional cooperation remains important to safeguarding the CBI programs.

This would benefit from common standards on due diligence and enhanced program transparency and disclosure. A regional CBI framework could also include minimum pricing benchmarks to avoid a revenue-erosive race-to-the-bottom competition and common principles on revenue allocation towards building fiscal buffers and growth-enhancing investment.

B. Strengthening financial system balance sheets and reviving private investment

6. Continued enforcement of the impaired asset standards is an opportunity to address the banking system’s long-standing asset quality challenges. Banks are working toward the required full loan loss provisioning against long-overdue loans by end-2025, which form the bulk of the region’s high non-performing loans (NPLs). All loan loss allowances should be made in the form of provisions to ensure banks’ capital strength is appropriately recorded.

Adoption of similar standards for credit unions would support national supervisors’ efforts to strengthen provisioning adequacy and reduce risks associated with uncertainty over property collateral valuations. Streamlining costly foreclosure and collateral sale processes and strengthening the capacity of the Eastern Caribbean Asset Management Company would facilitate disposal of impaired assets. Risk management of foreign security investments and high local sovereign exposures among some banks warrant continued supervisory focus.

7. The authorities recognize that the oversight of non-bank financial institutions (NBFIs) must be stepped up amidst rising risks. The immediate policy priority is to ensure that all national supervisors have adequate powers, staffing capacity, and data reporting to monitor and assess credit union and insurance sector risks and enforce corrective action where necessary.

Effective oversight of system-wide risks also calls for strengthening data and information exchange between the ECCB and national supervisors, particularly in the insurance sector given the prominence of large cross-border institutions. In parallel, the planned introduction of common minimum regulatory standards for NBFIs needs to be pursued expeditiously to mitigate rising arbitrage risks in a segmented regulatory space.

In this context, the rapid growth of open-platform credit unions, including increasingly beyond their traditional market space, calls for closer alignment of their regulations and supervisory standards with banks.

Centralization of the currently fragmented and uneven NBFI supervision under a model that leverages national supervisors’ local presence and expertise would improve its resource efficiency, support early identification of vulnerabilities, and further move the ECCU region toward a unified financial space.

8. Climate change risks emanating through the general insurance sector warrant strengthened monitoring. With high prevalence of collateralized lending in the region, evolving assessment of climate risks by global reinsurers and consequent pressures on property insurance premia can adversely affect borrower repayment capacity, give rise to underinsured assets, and weaken insurance and credit affordability and access.

The risks of a dampening effect on economic activity and amplification of indirect transmission channels of natural disasters underscore a need to strengthen insurance sector data collection and regional supervisory cooperation. Deeper assessment of insurance-banking interlinkages would help inform ongoing efforts to integrate climate change risks in the authorities’ supervisory and stress testing frameworks and support management of system-wide risks.

9. A more comprehensive umbrella strategy could help leverage ongoing efforts to support private investment, credit, and local enterprise development.

Operationalization of the credit reporting bureau across both bank and non-bank lending institutions can over time significantly improve efficiency and quality of credit provision. The partial credit guarantee program and development of movable collateral frameworks help address credit access constraints but require complementary supporting programs to strengthen small-business record-keeping, business planning, and financial literacy.

A more systematic region-wide approach to national legislative reforms to strengthen insolvency frameworks and creditor rights would help reduce cost-disincentives to private credit provision. These efforts could be coordinated with a renewed focus on regional capital market development to support redirecting system liquidity toward local investment needs, including through investor and borrower education initiatives and completing the related pending legislative processes in all jurisdictions.

10. Strengthening supervisory resources would support continued advancement of the financial system reform agenda. The authorities have made important progress toward clearing a backlog of financial sector legislative initiatives and advancing modernization of regulations and supervisory processes.

Rollout of the Basel II/III prudential standards and formalization of ECCB’s system-wide oversight authority will support stability of the ECCU financial system, yet also place additional demand on limited supervisory resources. Capacity at the national supervisors also needs to be aligned with the NBFIs’ increasing systemic significance.

A regional bank deposit insurance would fill a gap in current financial system safety nets, yet it is important to align its introduction with parallel progress in reducing legacy bank vulnerabilities. Its extension to credit unions should be considered only under a more unified oversight framework for all deposit taking institutions.

11. Continued strengthening of AML/CFT frameworks remains important to address perceptions of regional risk, protect the ECCU region’s thin correspondent banking relationships, and prevent opportunities for illicit actors to exploit the ECCU financial sector.

Priorities include addressing the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF) Mutual Evaluation recommendations and completing long-pending designation of the ECCB as the AML/CFT supervisor for banks.

12. The recently concluded Cash pilot offers important lessons for the next phase. This includes reviewing the potential to complement other existing and emerging payment solutions and ensure interoperability across domestic and international platforms.

C. Addressing constraints to employment

13. Longstanding ECCU labor market frictions have constrained labor market outcomes to the detriment of long-term growth. Structural impediments include rigidities in hiring and firing, high degree of informality, emigration of skilled workers, and skills mismatches that have weakened the growth contribution from human capital.

High youth unemployment remains a particular drag on the region’s growth potential. Recent shocks have potentially compounded labor market challenges as the recovery of employment continues to lag the strong post-pandemic uptick in economic activity.

14. Addressing the structural labor market weaknesses requires a multipronged effort. A recalibration of employment protection laws, including alignment of some countries’ lengthy redundancy notice periods and generous severance regimes toward international peers, could reduce disincentives to new hiring and support labor market turnover. Such reforms can be supported by the wider introduction of targeted and actuarially sound unemployment insurance schemes, which would also reduce fiscal costs of untargeted ad hoc interventions following economic shocks.

Minimum wage frameworks should avoid disrupting labor allocation efficiency, employment opportunities and regional competitiveness, including by giving greater emphasis to the development of targeted social protection frameworks to support the most vulnerable and advance equity objectives. Leveraging expertise from development partners, education programs could be reviewed to support youth employability and reduce skills mismatches in the labor market, including with greater focus on vocational training in sectors with labor shortages.

The role of targeted policies, such as the extension of parental and elderly care leave, to narrow gender gaps in labor force participation and wages should be explored, albeit in alignment with underlying fiscal objectives. Social programs could be better tailored to tackle barriers to employment, including low education and school dropout among young males.

D. Strengthening data provision

15. Concerted region-wide efforts to strengthen data collection, processing, and transparency are essential to support the calibration of economic policies. Significant data gaps in key policy areas such as the labor market, household incomes and indebtedness, property markets, private sector insurance costs and coverage, and foreign direct investment constrain the design of policies to support inclusive growth, efficient use of public resources and contingency plans against external shocks.

Increasing data transparency in areas such as CBI inflows, tax exemptions, and medium-term fiscal projections would also support more effective regional policy coordination and public accountability over economic policies.

Strengthening resources at national statistics units would also help improve accuracy, timeliness, and frequency of existing key economic data, reducing current long lags and frequent revisions to historical series.

The IMF team thanks the authorities for their warm hospitality and insightful and constructive discussions.

IMF Communications Department

 

 

 

 

Caricom adds Suriname to regional cargo ferry route

2024, 02/27

T&T Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley met Caricom Secretary-General Dr Carla Barnett and Guyana President Dr Irfaan Ali at the Caricom Heads of Government Meeting in Guyana.

Suriname is expected to join the Caricom countries to be served by the inter-regional cargo ferry service being inaugurated. The Trinidad Office of the Prime Minister reported fruitful discussions on the initiative during the first session at the 46th Regular Meeting of the Caricom Heads of Government in Georgetown, Guyana.

“Maritime transportation, specifically the imminent launch of an inter-regional cargo ferry that will operate the Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados and Guyana routes, also engaged leaders during this morning’s session. It is expected that Suriname will be added to the ferry’s route.”

“Prime Minister Rowley said he was pleased with the level of interest generated by the decision to launch the ferry and assured that the Government is committed to ensuring the commercial preparatory work is completed.”

While the Government committed to facilitating the incubation of the project, it is hoped that the private sector will play an integral role in the expansion of the ferry service. The Galleon’s Passage was identified as the ferry for the service.

On February 19, at the launch of the Guyana Energy Conference 2024 and Supply Change Expo, Guyana President and current Chair of Caricom, Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali highlighted that investments in transportation could be lucrative in achieving regional food security. Caricom is attempting to achieve its “25 by 2025 initiative” to reduce the region’s food import bill by 25 per cent by the year 2025.

In other developments at yesterday’s morning session, Caricom heads received a detailed report on the progress the region made towards increasing food production in member states.

Prime Minister Rowley held bilateral discussions with Canada’s Minister of International Development, Ahmed Hussen on national security, travel protocol and employment opportunities.

Rowley met the Envoy of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the United Arab Emirates, Omar Shehadeh. Both parties made a commitment to enhance cooperation in aviation and to create a legislative framework to respond to the emerging issues related to Artificial Intelligence.

President Ali, current Chair of the Conference, addressing a plenary session, urged trust amongst Caricom citizens while leaders navigate regional security, gang violence in Haiti, climate change, energy security and the Caribbean Single Market and Economy (CSME).

He reflected on the intervention of St Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves in the ongoing impasse between Guyana and Venezuela on the Essequibo region.

Ali thanked Gonsalves for his role in “avoiding a very difficult situation for Guyana” which spoke to the importance of trust between leaders, an ethos he hopes will reap benefits when dealing with Haiti’s current national crisis of gang violence.

“When we trust each other in the region to find solutions amongst ourselves, and in this situation with Haiti this is important, we must trust the collective leadership and wisdom of Caricom. That is critical and that is the message we want the region to hear and understand.”

Today, regional heads and foreign ministers will meet in caucus at a special retreat to examine Haiti, the Caribbean Development Bank and the CSME. The conference ends on February 28.

 

 

 

 

Ali confident ferry will be profitable

2024, 02/20

Guyana President Dr Irfaan Ali addressed the opening of the Guyana Energy Conference and Supply Chain Expo 2024 President Ali is hopeful that the ferry service set to be launched between Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago and Barbados will prove that inter-regional travel is profitable. He stressed how important the regional ferry service could be across many facets of the Caricom market.

“Guyana, Barbados and Trinidad, we are launching very soon, with strong support from Trinidad and Tobago, a shipping asset that would allow movement of containers, movement of passengers, a ferry service as a test to prove the model that investment in the regional transport infrastructure is not only key and critical, but it is profitable. It is profitable and it helps us to achieve the goals of integration, greater levels of trade between ourselves and food security.”

In January, TT Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley confirmed that the Galleons Passage will be used as part of a regional cargo ferry service between Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana.

President Ali explained that the conference focus had been expanded to include the supply chain, as he noted that there was a need to show there were avenues beyond the traditional oil and energy sector, as well as finding integration within Caricom.

“We have added the supply chain to this conference because there is an important shift from a policy perspective, from an investment perspective, and from a development perspective, that we wanted to highlight to investors as the energy story continues to unfold in Guyana.

It is important for us to understand the role logistics and transport systems and investment will play in the building out of our economy, but more importantly in the integration, the full and complete integration of our economy with Caricom, South America, Dominican Republic and further afield.

This is the priority, ensuring the economy is fully integrated within our region.”

While much had been made about the potential of Guyana’s energy sector, this could only be realised if other industries, which can bolster and support the economy, can be developed as well.

‘This potential can only be translated into value if there is a market and if we can define our market space within the region itself, then it points to very low hanging fruits.

But we have to build the infrastructure to facilitate this, facilitate the movement, facilitate the trade and to facilitate the integration and that is what we are focusing on in the logistics build out.

How do we build out this ecosystem to support the energy development that would lead to other important developments in the country?”

Addressing the conference opening yesterday, Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley said only by working together can regional countries attain the objective of fostering productive and resilient economies in what promises to be an increasingly hostile business environment.

This requires efficient and effective public management systems and integration into the local economy through shared infrastructure and value chains.

“To this end, we in the deep southern Caribbean are currently actively engaged in spawning a cargo ferry service which we are confident can grow into a major catalyst for welcomed regional collaboration, development and diversification.”

 

 

 

 

Protect culture with positive lyrics

2024, 02/26

Newly installed Chairman of Caricom President of Guyana Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali urges artistes in the region to focus on positivity in their music.

Addressing the opening of the 46th Caricom Heads of Government Meeting at the National Cultural Centre in Georgetown, President Ali stressed that the region needed to pay particular attention to its cultural contribution to the world.

“We in Guyana have taken a very conscious decision in ensuring that we invest in culture as a tool and mechanism of unifying our people and as a tool and mechanism of telling the story of who we are as a people. And in this region, we owe it to the generation ahead of us, to keep alive and invest in this culture, because culture is what distinguishes us from any other region. Culture is distinctly different from any other region.”

Ali urged artistes not to promote violence in their music and briefly referenced the decision to bar certain artistes from performing in his country.

“We do not need lyrics that promote violence in this region. We have the ability to promote good lyrics and lyrics that will move people in the positive direction and move people to think, act and behave positively. As leaders of this region, we have to take this situation very seriously and ensure the lyrics of the region are the lyrics of positivity and positive living and positive change. We must take this responsibility today,.”

Yesterday’s opening ceremony was also addressed by Caricom Secretary-General Dr Carla Barnett and Roosevelt Skerrit, the outgoing Chairman of Caricom and Prime Minister of Dominica.

Key issues of importance to the region will be discussed during the four-day meeting, including the humanitarian and security situation in Haiti and plans for the T-20 Cricket World Cup that the region will host in June.

Caricom leaders will also discuss the Guyana-Venezuela border issue along with the Belize-Guatemala demarcation claim.

Discussions will be held with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva; President of the Inter-American Development Bank, Ilan Goldfajn; Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Saudi Arabia, Adel bin Ahmed Al-Jubeir and Minister of State for International Cooperation of the United Arab Emirates, Reem al Hashimy.

Other items on the agenda are Climate Change and Climate Financing, Report from the Prime Ministerial Sub-Committee on Reparations, update on the situation in the British Virgin Islands, Status of the Caribbean Court of Justice Trust Fund, Developments in the Middle East: Israel’s Continued Bombing of Gaza and the Fourth International Conference on Small Island Development States to be held in Antigua and Barbuda in May.

Crime is at record levels in Jamaica with  81 homicides in 2024 and 1,393 homicides in 2023 , following 1,498 murders in 2022. Jamaica reported over 1,000 murders per year since 2003. Trinidad is rife with egregious racist armed home invasions, rape, robbery, burglary, extortion, fraud, VAW , drug trafficking and daily homicides.