Trinidad & Tobago ‘Lacklustre' Response On Oil Spill Drawing International Attention

• Mayaro MP and Opposition spokesperson on trade and industry Rushton Paray says international media outlets have been monitoring the country's response to the Tobago oil spill. In a statement, Paray said the "lacklustre response" has drawn international attention.
• “The recent oil spill disaster in Tobago has drawn widespread attention from international media outlets, shedding light on the Rowley administration's mishandling of the crisis and subsequent lacklustre response”, said Paray.
• He asserted that international media identified the issue as a catastrophe days before Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley visited the island on February 11 - the incident had first been reported to the Tobago Emergency Management Agency (TEMA) on February 7.
• Furthermore, he noted that Dr Rowley lacked concrete answers to pertinent inquiries or a clear timeline for the cleanup efforts even upon visiting the incident. He went on to say, "Numerous foreign news agencies have criticised the government's slow and inadequate reaction to the emergency, highlighting its failure to swiftly contain the spill and hold those responsible to account.”
• Since the disaster volunteers have come forward to assist with clean-up operations following reports of the spill - the vessel, now identified as the Gulfstream, was reportedly being tugged to Guyana when it overturned. 

(Sources: Trinidad and Tobago Loop News)