Minister: Nearly $3m paid to those affected
State oil company Petrotrin has to date paid out close to $3 million in compensation to those affected by the oil spills in the southwestern peninsula, Minister of Energy Kevin Ramnarine has said.
Addressing Parliament at Tower D, International Waterfront Centre, Port of Spain on Friday on a matter of urgent public importance, Ramnarine said: “With regard to compensation, to date some $2,667,900 has been paid out by Petrotrin covering 236 boats and 32 vendors at various fishing villages.
“Clean-up work is currently in progress at the Point Sable Beach, and nearby beaches including the mangrove and polluted sand is being removed and sent to temporary storage sites at Guapo and Point Fortin, where it will be remediated.
“To date 50 truckloads of contaminated oil and sand have been sent to these sites. More than $10 million have been spent in environmental clean-up work and low power flushing of the mangrove is taking place.”
Ramnarine said that the initial clean-up work should be completed in February and will be followed by ongoing rehabilitation work and environmental monitoring….READ MORE