Efforts are under way in Barbados to establish a response plan for Oistins, Christ Church, and other areas where oil is stored in large quantities.

Acting Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of the Environment and Drainage, Edison Alleyne, said yesterday that the Barbados National Terminal Company Limited was working on a draft area response plan for Oistins. He explained that it would be used as a template for the development of other area response plans in various locations where oil is stored, or transferred in large quantities.

He made these comments on the first day of a regional workshop on the International Liability Compensatory Regimes for Pollution Damage at the Accra Beach Resort and Spa which concludes tomorrow, Thursday, September 26.

The plan, Mr. Alleyne noted, is also being designed to develop a detailed job description for the members of the response team; it will allow a risk assessment to determine the probability of a large spill occurring; develop a waste management manual and investigate the establishment of service agreements with suppliers of oil spill emergency response equipment and safety supplies.

He added that additional training for staff of the Sanitation Service Authority, the Ministry of Transport and Works and the National Conservation Commission in oil spill beach clean-up procedures would also form part of the plan.

Furthermore, the plan also led to the restructuring of the National Oil Spill Response Committee and clarified its responsibilities, which include strategic oversight and direction for the effectiveness and efficiency of the national plan.

julia.rawlins-bentham@barbados.gov.bb

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