Oil Spill Workshop (Photo Credit Everton Barnes)
Antigua and Barbuda is updating its Oil Spill Contingency Plan with support from the International Maritime Organization (IMO).
A four-day workshop, held at NODS in collaboration with the Antigua and Barbuda Department of Marine Services and Merchant Shipping (ADOMS), aims to enhance the knowledge of representatives from various organizations.
The sessions, which started on Monday, will clarify roles and responsibilities for managing oil spill responses and train participants on the Readiness Evaluation Tool for Oil Spills (RETOS) to identify assessment gaps.
Permanent Secretary Sarah Stuart emphasized the importance of addressing oil pollution due to the presence of numerous beaches, and ADOM’s Katarina Thompson highlighted the significant threat oil pollution poses to the island.
Vivian Rambarath-Parasram from IMO noted the need for enhanced regional cooperation, despite the absence of major oil spill disasters in recent times. Participants will play a role in the National Marine Pollution Committee during any pollution incidents.
About time we updated the plan. Prevention and preparedness save money and the environment.
RETOS sounds like a smart tool. Would be nice if they shared the assessment results with the public.
Have we ever been impacted by an oil spill?
Investing in preparedness today saves immense costs and environmental damage in the long run. A smart move for the nation.