By Erica James-King, Senior Staff ReporterWESTERN BUREAU:
THE PORT Authority of Jamaica has put together a high level task force, headed by Harbour Master, Captain Hopeton Delisser, to detect and remedy the problem with the defective pipeline at the Montego Bay Freeport, which triggered an oil spill last Thursday near the Montego Bay Freeport.
Responding to questions from The Gleaner, the public education department of the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) confirmed the probe being carried out by the Port Authority of Jamaica and further stated, "The oil spill was contained on the weekend. The Port Authority of Jamaica is now doing a full-scale investigation into the factors that triggered the leak."
NEPA also insisted that no long-term damage of the environment in the Marine Park, or other areas of the Montego Bay coastline, is expected to result from the oil spill. "Wind and wave action on the weekend resulted in the oil leak quickly dissipating, so no long term damage of the marine environment is envisaged," NEPA assured the public.
Rosemarie Chung, Director of Public Relations with NEPA, in giving the assurance said that the National Oil Spill Response Team is also continuing its investigations into the matter. According to Ms. Chung, "no technical evidence exists so far, to lead NEPA to issue an Enforcement order on the Port Authority of Jamaica, from whose operations the leak originated."
Meanwhile, the latest oil slick has earned the ire of the management of the Montego Bay Marine Park which has jurisdiction for 15.3 square kilometres of St. James' coastal waters. The supervisors of the Park are adamant that the alleged source of the released oil, was previously the subject of investigation. The Marine Park is charging that last week's oil spill from a pipeline at the Freeport is not an isolated incident, but is part of a recurring pollution problem from the petroleum tank bay at the freeport.
"Over the last several years, every now and then, the Marine Park has noticed oil spills in the vicinity of Berth 2 near the Montego Bay Freeport. At first, we thought ships were leaking the substance, but then it appeared to us that the leaks seeped from the pipes which take oil from the ships which dock at the berth to the petroleum tank 'farm'," lamented Jill Williams, Executive Director of the Montego Bay Marine Park.
"A committee comprising the port handlers, NEPA, the Marine Park and the Ministry of Health has repeatedly brought the problem to the attention of the Port Authority," Ms. Williams pointed out. "They (Port Authority) told us they had capped the problem. However, since the release of oil into the sea is still recurring and seems even bigger than before, it is evident to us that they have still not remedied the situation."
The executive director of the Marine Park is arguing that there is a possibility that insufficient maintenance of the pipes leading to the petroleum tank bay, which lie some six feet under water and which were put in some thirty years ago, might contribute to the presence of recurring oil slicks.
She is appealing to the Port Authority to carry out remedial action on the defective pipeline or pipelines, as a matter of urgency.
