Please see statement from the Vigilant Political Action Committee (VPAC):
Following the CDC’s announcement of a potential oil spill risk involving a barge carrying approximately 8,000 barrels of waste oil at a private wharf on the East Bank of Demerara, VPAC is calling for answers.
We call on the Guyana Energy Agency (GEA) to confirm whether the facility and its petroleum-storage operations are properly licensed and whether all required approvals are current and in compliance with the applicable Petroleum and Petroleum Products Regulations and other relevant laws.
VPAC also calls on the relevant authorities to confirm whether the barge and the facility comply with all applicable petroleum, maritime and environmental safety regulations, including whether all required licences, safety certificates, inspections and pollution-prevention measures are current and in place.
We also call on MARAD to clarify whether the barge meets applicable maritime safety requirements, holds the necessary pollution-prevention certificates and insurance, and has undergone the required inspections. What deficiencies, if any, were identified, and have they been corrected? The EPA and Guyana Fire Service should also confirm whether the necessary environmental approvals and fire-safety arrangements are in place.
VPAC also calls on the relevant authorities to ensure that appropriate oil-spill containment measures, including containment booms where suitable, are deployed around the barge as a precaution against any discharge into the Demerara River.
The questions are straightforward: Were all the required licences and safety certificates in place? Had the necessary inspections been carried out, and was the barge operating in compliance with the relevant regulations? These are questions the authorities should be able to answer.
Editor’s Note: The Civil Defence Commission (CDC) has since reported that the vessel is upright and stabilised, with its cargo intact. The CDC said the situation remains stable and under control, while the relevant authorities continue to assess and monitor the situation.
