Despite persistent warnings by our Auditor General and several independent international agencies, the extractive industry hemorrhage of the public purse continues with Cabinet’s blessings. In two single years, Trinidad and Tobago lost $17.5Billion TTD in Royalties 2010 and 2018 in “price transfers” according to the reputable Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC). Subsidiary companies were caught selling […]
On October 16th, 2020, after three months of unanswered appeals, Fishermen and Friends of the Sea (FFOS) visited the Nabarima, a Venezuelan Fuel Storage and Offloading Vessel, which was listing dangerously, threatening to spill 1.4M barrels of crude oil into our Gulf of Paria and Caribbean Sea. FFOS exposed misinformation and propaganda being released by the Maduro Regime which was […]
FFOS are deeply concerned that another oil spill is occurring tonight Sunday 7th June 2020 at the Heritage Refinery Tank Farm in Point Fortin. The Police have cordoned off the area. FFOS fully disapprove of the method of testing the Tanks by loading them with water when property damage could occur if a rupture happens, as many cars were washed […]
Date: January 24th, 2019 Dear Editor/Newsroom, For over 20 years, Fishermen and Friends of the Sea (FFOS) have consistently reported on the impact of seismic surveys on our fishers citing United Nations and other internationally published scientific studies. In 2017, the University of Tasmania presented evidence which argues that “seismic surveys cause significant mortality to zooplankton populations”. All larval krill […]
Date: December 6 th, 2019 Dear Editor/Newsroom, On Thursday 28th November 2019 the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) issued a statement that officers of the “Illegal Quarrying Unit” arrested twenty-two (22) persons and seized several excavators for illegal quarrying. Fishermen and Friends of the Sea, (FFOS) congratulate this unit, but where have they been for all these years? Taxpayers […]
Date: November 20th , 2019 Dear Editor/Newsroom, We respect the positions of each entity but wish to share a community-based opinion. Corporate budgets can drown out community voices and this is an imbalance that we wish to address. FFOS congratulate entrepreneurship but this should not be at the expense of the environment, vulnerable or down-trodden communities. Although we salute Mr. […]
Date: October 26th, 2019 Dear Editor/Newsroom, FFOS have served on the Trinidad and Tobago Extractive Industries Transparency initiative steering committee for almost a decade. This week the Amcham CEO is quoted as stating that Energy companies in Trinidad and Tobago are honest. This is far from the truth! On the contrary, it has been a long dishonest road for the […]
While our sea and fish continue to be contaminated by cancer causing poly cyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, the Ministry and Government have a “duty of care” to ensure enforcement of the law “without fear or favor”.
Date: May 6th , 2019 Dear Editor/Newsroom, There is yet another Oil spill in our Gulf of Paria food basket-. How many oil spills must we suffer before a single culprit is brought to justice? Is our Government protecting these known violators? Shouldn’t Government enforce the Law and arrest, prosecute and incarcerate the CEOs of these degrading companies? The Oil […]
The extractive sector is the foundation of our unstable economy and requires the best minds, the greatest transparency and the most thorough accountability.
Our government needs to be reminded that ALL extractive resources belong to ALL of the people of Trinidad and Tobago.