The Government of Barbados was notified by the Implementation Agency for Crime and Security (IMPACS) and Regional Security System (RSS) regarding the Floating Production Storage and Offloading Unit (FPSO) Nabarima in the Gulf of Paria, Trinidad and Tobago in early September 2020.
Based on this information the National Oil Spill Committee and the National Oil Spill Response Team met on September 11, 2020 under the Chairmanship of the Director of the Environmental Protection Department, to evaluate the potential risk to Barbados and to review the readiness of the national oil spill response mechanism.
The Committee also sourced information from the Regional Marine Pollution Emergency, Information and Training Centre – Caribe (RAC/REMPEITC-Caribe) to inform the evaluation.
Barbadians should note that the Committee has been continually monitoring the situation.
On October 20, 2020 the Chair and members of the Committee met and updated a Ministerial subcommittee consisting of:
- Hon. Adrian R. Forde, M.P., Minister of the Environment and National Beautification;
- Senator Dr. Jerome X. Walcott, J.P., Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade;
- Hon. Kirk D.M. Humphrey, M.P., Minister of Maritime Affairs and the Blue Economy;
- Hon. Kerrie D. Symmonds, M.P., Minister of Energy, Small Business and Entrepreneurship; and
- Senator Lisa R. Cummins, Minister of Tourism and International Transport.
The Government of Barbados continues to monitor the situation regarding the Floating Production Storage and Offloading Unit (FPSO) Nabarima and is in contact with our regional partners in Trinidad and Tobago and the United Nations Regional Coordinating Unit.
The national emergency response mechanism is on stand-by as we continue to evaluate all scenarios and stand ready to respond to the potential risk scenarios and to aggressively mitigate any potential impacts in the unlikely event of a release from the FPSO Nabarima.