Oil spill spreads to Bonaire region, threat to humans and nature

Some parts of Bonaire’s coast have been experiencing the effects of an oil spill that has been impacting Tobago since the beginning of this month. The oil has spread to the Dutch-speaking Caribbean Island, which poses a threat to marine life and humans as well. 

The government of Bonaire has released a statement that the oil passes through Tobago and reaches the parts of Bonaire, including Soroban, Lac, and Laguna. These areas are contaminated with oil, which causes the loss of fish, mangroves, and coral ecosystems. 

Due to such conditions, the government made a decision to close the Soroban area for visiting. 

The authorities opted for emergency staff to clean the surface of the beaches and mope away the oil. “The emergency services are now committed to a rapid and effective clean-up of the oil slicks,” the statement said. 

For this purpose, the Texas-based companies T&T Salvage and QT Environmental of Minnesota will collaborate to clean up the spill. 

There is no accurate information on the size of the rocks that reached Bonaire’s east coast, but the residents nearby the affected areas posted a picture that showed oil-stained sand, birds, and rocks on a few beaches.  

Since tourism is the main source of Bonaire’s economy, oil spills on the beaches could affect tourism in the country, which would have a direct impact on its economy.

“The Dutch Island is reliant on tourism, and officials say protecting the mangrove-rich area of Lac Bay has been made a priority,” added government officials in their statement. 

According to the reports, Trinidad and Tobago is collaborating with international experts to eliminate the oil spill issue. Prime Minister Keith Rowley hosted a media conference a few days ago and also led a ministerial team to tour the disaster areas in Tobago impacted by the oil spill. 

He expressed his commitment to handling the situation as his top priority. He ensured the public that the government was trying to improve the conditions and doing all in its power. The prime minister emphasized the need to move from the containment phase to evacuating the vessel to prevent continued leakage into the water. 

The Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard (TTCG) has confirmed the presence of two vessels, a tug boat and a barge, involved in the oil spill incident. The people across the affected areas expressed concern regarding the spread of the oil spill. 

While reacting to the news, a person named Meredith Antonsen Kipp commented, “This breaks my heart. We had the most amazing time in Bonaire in 2022 and can’t wait to get back. Keeping all of you close to our hearts.”