THA blanks over 80% of oil-spill claims by fisherfolk

Tobago House of Assembly (THA) Secretary of Finance, Trade and the Economy Petal-Ann Roberts said Tobago's fisherfolk would not be reeling in $47 million in compensation for the February 7, 2024 oil spill, which stained 15 km of the south-western coastline.

The spill, which amounted to over 400,000 gallons of oil, was caused by the overturned Gulfstream barge, which was found lodged on a reef near Cove. The barge was being towed by The Solo Creed tugboat when it reportedly got into difficulty.

The disaster caused not only environmental damage and economic hardship, but also affected the health of people in nearby areas. Earlier this month, oil resurfaced along Petit Trou Bay, Lambeau, after rough seas caused a churning of sand and erosion.

Last year, fishermen were told not to ply their trade in the disaster zone.

In an interview on Tobago Updates on February 12, Roberts said of the 167 claims for compensation submitted, only twenty-something were deemed valid, amounting to $4.2 million in compensation.

Over the last three weeks, the All Tobago Fisherfolk Association (ATFA) and Tobago Unified Fisherfolk Association (TUFA) have protested the delay in receiving compensation from the THA.

Roberts said it was initially difficult for the THA to predict what the compensation package would be.

"In terms of compensation, we couldn’t do an accurate provision for that. That was underestimated. When the compensation was submitted by the fishermen it came up to $47 million.

"I am hearing yesterday, 'Pay the fishermen what is due to them.'

"There is absolutely no way we can pay $47 million," Roberts said.

She said a committee was set-up to deal with the issues of the fisherfolk, under the division of food security.

"That committee did extensive work in terms of evaluating these submissions from the fishermen. At the end of that exercise, with the aid and guidance of people from the International Oil Pollution Compensation Fund (IOPC), because they are accustomed doing this thing worldwide when oil spill occurs....and in the end it came up to $4.2 million."

She said the claims that were accepted were "reasonable" and "more had to do with persons in the Scarborough and Lambeau."

Roberts said the THA could not pay the $4.2 million immediately as it had exhausted the entire $50 million it received from central government in June and even had to find around $38 million more to pay contractors.

She said the THA decided to rely on the IOPC to pay fisherfolk.

"You know this government (THA) had said, because that process may take so long, we would provide you with financial assistance – not compensation – because we know what you were affected by."

She said a process was currently being formulated to determine how that $2 million in relief, announced by Chief Secretary Farley Augustine on January 24, would be disbursed.

She made it clear that it was only those who were approved for the $4.2 million in compensation that will be eligible for the relief.

She also noted that about 100 fishermen were also given a $1,000 grant by the THA in 2024.

Roberts told Newsday that "one or two" fisherfolk from outside the Scarborough/Lambeau area met the criteria to be affected.

Linford Beckles, chairman, Multidisciplinary Oil Spill Management Committee, said he did not know what process was used to whittle down the claims from 167 to twenty-something, but said "the committee that was set-up to look at this, they would have used international best practice in informing the decisions that they made."

Roberts explained why the THA had initially asked central government for $153 million to deal with the oil spill.

"We couldn't tell when this thing would end, so the provision took us to September (2024) and $153 million," she said.

Roberts said central government asked to see the THA's invoices for February and March, which came up to around $47 million.

"That is where the $50 million came from. The government is saying to us, 'Unfortunately, we can only give $50 million now, which takes care of February and March.'

"The onus was on us as a government (THA) to find money to cover April, May and June. Unfortunately, we have about 15 suppliers to be paid about $4.89 million."

She said there were many unforeseen costs in the clean-up efforts and the THA did its best to reduce and eliminate many of them.

ATFA: Secretary clueless about fishing

Responding to Roberts on February 12, ATFA president Curtis Douglas condemned the secretary as being clueless.

"What was the yardstick they used to determine that people were not qualified to pass?

"I was part of that committee and would have soundly advised them that some of the yardstick they doing to measure fisherfolk were not conducive to the situation and not law.

Douglas said he advised them not to disregard a fisherman who did not have a valid licence.

"That is a the failure of the fisheries department – not the fishermen."

"Two, the data-collection process was not in place by the THA – that is a failure of the THA."

He said people should not be disqualified if they were not from the area directly affected.

"Easily, you could be from Castara or Speyside and there was a bait fishing ground for you. It is a traditional fishing ground. It is clear they did not understand or take the professional advice from the ATFA president. Hence the reason why the finance secretary, who does not know anything about fishing, would be saying that."

He said Augustine had broken his promise to restore the fishing industry.

What is the IOPC?

The UK-based IOPC's website says its funds provide financial compensation for oil-pollution damage that occurs in member states, resulting from spills of persistent oil from tankers. The funds are financed by contributions from member states based on the amount of oil received annually.

In 2001, TT signed up for the International Convention on Civil Liability for Oil Pollution Damage 1992 as well as the International Convention on the Establishment of an International Fund for Compensation for Oil Pollution (1971).

By signing these conventions, TT was able to access compensation from the IOPC.