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Extractive Sector

Extractive Sector

Is 17.5B TTD a Planned Leakage?

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 tw…

Another Legal Battle for Transparency

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 danger…

Point Fortin Oil Spill

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 disa…

Safeguarding Our Country’s Future

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 Uni…

Auditor General Ignored

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” ar…

Was Social and Environmental Accountability Omitted?

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 a…

Energy Sector- Honest or Dishonest?

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 Amcha…

Mr. Khan, Oil Spill is not False

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 fe…

Once is an accident, but daily is negligence

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?…

Energy Instability

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…

FFOS calls for a hydrocarbon state of emergency

Until all oil and gas facilities are safe and regulated, FFOS call on our Government to declare “a hydrocarbon state of emergency

FFOS are encouraged despite the attacks

Date: February 20th 2019 Dear Editor/Newsroom, Fishermen and Friends of the Sea (FFOS) are encouraged by the recent questions on the fisherfolks’ “regular” gas crisis posed in Parliament…

Minister F Khan is Wrong

Date: January 19th 2018 Dear Editor/Newsroom, Fishing is the only source of income for our fishers who have invested in their vessels, engines and nets and are now faced, without any forewarni…

Summary Report: Dec 17th 2013 Oil Spill, La Brea, Trinidad (see downloadable PDF for media and laboratory report links)

On 17th December 2013, 7,554 barrels of Bunker C fuel oil spilled into the Gulf of Paria. It was speculated that the oil spill was a direct result of poorly maintained sea lines owned by the state o…

Are we prepared for disaster?

While our Nation is led down the greasy oil, gas and chemical industry road, are our institutions, or our legislature mindful of possible disasters, and are we ready?

Another unreported oil spill at Petrotrin

Dear Editor/ Newsroom, Since 19th July 2018, there has been an oil spill at Petrotrin’s Point-a-Pierre Oil Refinery nearby the foreshore area. It is believed Tank 114 has erupted spilling oil, w…

WERE SAFETY PROCEDURES FOLLOWED?

Unless there is transparency there can be no sustainable development.

Fish kill or Fish dump? You decide.

Date: July 21st , 2018 Dear Editor/Newsroom, According to the IMA in an article published on 6th July 2017 “Fish gulping for air at the surface, would indicate a contaminant was present in …

Web of lies – Gulf of Paria Blowout

How many other decommissioned, abandoned and/or orphaned wells exist and can the Minister locate these “Well Files” in the event of other inevitable ruptures?

Gulf of Paria Blowout! Marine Warning- Danger!

Date: July 7th , 2018 Dear Editor/Newsroom, Fishermen of the area and mariners in general, are urgently warned that the volatile and highly flammable site of the erupting platform known as th…

La Brea: Fish kill or fish dump?

Date: June 30th , 2018 Dear Editor/Newsroom, For the past 52 months since the 2013 Petrotrin oil spills, sudden, major and ongoing fish kills have been re-occurring daily in the “clearly de…

Public health threat…statements must be supported by science, not speculation

Date: June 18th, 2018 Dear Editor/Newsroom, FFOS take strong objection to unsubstantiated and speculative statements. At the beginning of every rainy season since the December 17th 2013 P…

Government must act lawfully

Unless our Authorities act with haste a serious public endangerment will continue. FFOS will continue on its sometimes lonely pilgrimage to protect the voiceless.

Waterfront Covered in Oil

When the Government turns a blind eye and allows even the smallest of Laws to be broken every Law in every corner of the country is weakened.

No Accountability in Oil Spill Disasters

Date: March 3rd, 2018 Dear Editor/Newsroom, On Friday 2nd March 2018, the Ministry of Energy and Energy Industries (MEEI) reported “a 10-barrel oil spill” identifying the source as a 6-in…

The Lagoon of Doom- Death on Carat Shed Beach, La Brea

Who is protecting the vulnerable human and nonhuman communities exposed to the toxic and fatal COREXIT 9500? Who is speaking for the marine animals who reside in this area and continue to die day aft…

Another Petrotrin oil spill, this time in Santa Flora

Petrotrin continues to frequently wreak havoc with its dilapidated infrastructure.

Justice delayed is justice denied

Date: October 27th 2017 Dear Editor/Newsroom, In 2014 Fishermen and Friends of the Sea (FFOS) (the Claimant) judicially reviewed the Environment Management Authority’s (EMA’s) decision to issue a…

Accidents must not be Inevitable

Unless each one of us seize the privilege to take responsibility and to protect our vulnerable and those without a voice, the trend of institutional decay and corporate irresponsibility will continue …

Why is the fingerprinting secret?

Unless there is social justice for our people by the firm enforcement of Law, the foundation of our democracy will continue to crumble.

Who is the Government Protecting?

Why are the public and primary stakeholders being kept in the dark? Is the Government protecting someone?

Public warning to all fishermen and mariners of the Gulf of Paria

Date: October 16th 2017 Dear Editor/Newsroom, Fishermen and Friends of the Sea (FFOS) hereby warn all seafarers and fisher-folk from the Cocorite, Charlieville, Felicity, Brick Field, Orange V…

Dr Rowley’s compensation nightmare has happened! Another oil spill in the Gulf

If FFOS did not report this disaster, would it have gone unnoticed?

Can we afford Petrotrin?

As we face major global energy supply adjustments in an ever changing and more competitive world environment can we afford to risk national welfare for the sake of one more blatantly corrupt mismanage…

Can Petrotrin be saved?

Despite Petrotrin’s complete control and monopoly over all the shallow most lucrative oil fields, we are being forced to finance this failing state enterprise who have no shame in posting a 4.5 Bill…

Another “unreported”, “insignificant” Petrotrin Oil Spill?

Shouldn’t there be environmental transparency and accountability instead of secrecy?

Disturbing silence from PM on Regional disaster

When Ministers deliberately lie in Parliament and the Prime Minister by his silence gives consent, the respect for all Cabinet utterances, and the reputation of our beleaguered nation is brought into …

FFOS responds to IMA: Bait Dump vs. Fish Kill in Chaguaramas

FFOS continue to appeal to the Government and our environmental institutions to share this eminent scientific analysis, or to conduct scientific analysis (if none has been done) instead of blurting ou…

La Brea Community Sentenced to Death

Unless our Government treats this health disaster with a matter of extreme urgency, they will continue to endorse the endangerment of public life and public health. This is no matter to play politics …

Oil Clumps have turned into tar on Bonaire’s East Coast (See downloadable pdf for videos and images)

Date: June 13th , 2017 Dear Editor/Newsroom, Oil clumps have turned into tar on Bonaire’s east coasts. Clean up efforts have begun on the oil clumps/tar polluted coastal areas Sorobon a…

Clumps of oil have reached Bonaire….as predicted

The Government of Trinidad and Tobago have not acted responsibly in informing and issuing regional and public warnings to our neighbouring countries who were in the pathway of the oil clumps floating…

“Guardians of the Sea”…..?

Date: May 25th , 2017 Dear Editor/Newsroom, “Guardians of the Sea”…..? The Institute of Marine Affairs (IMA) has recently released the 2016 State of the Marine Environment Report wh…

The Rains have started= ongoing La Brea fish kills (See downloadable file for Videos and Images)

Date: May 31st , 2017 Dear Editor/Newsroom, The Rains have started= ongoing La Brea fish kills. The rains have started and as Fishermen and Friends of the Sea (FFOS) have accurately pred…

Warnings must be issued

Date: June 13th , 2017 Dear Editor/Newsroom, Warnings must be Issued!!! Fishermen and Friends of the Sea (FFOS) call on the Right Honourable Prime Minister to intervene and ensure Ministe…

Cleaning Oil Drenched Pelicans are a Waste of Time

However rehabilitation does not end, just by recuing the birds and releasing them back in the wild. What’s the point in rehabilitating these birds if their probability of survival is low?

Public Warning to Seafarers

Unless negligent officers and Companies are held accountable by OSHA and other Authorities and Agencies, they will continue to drown all of us in an endless sea of oil.

Unacceptable Secrecy at a time of national disaster

Date: May 8th , 2017 Dear Editor/Newsroom, Unaccetable Secrecy at a Time of National Disaster The reported deaths of three Venezuelan men, whose boat capsized after their engine failed wh…

Pictures of Pelicans affected by the oil spill (See Link for Pictures)

While many many new Pelicans continue to be discovered drenched in thick black oil, Fishermen and Friends of the Sea (FFOS) is wondering if the oil spill was ever contained and cleaned up. And what ab…

What we should all know about Petrotrin’s danger

Until and unless our elected leaders act with accountability and good public administration they will continue to cause untold hardship for countless communities who are without a voice.

Petrotrin Oil Spill- An Accident or a Time Bomb?

Every time there is an oil spill, a cosmetic clean up occurs and they pretend that the problem is solved. The problem is never solved because the cause of the problem has never been addressed

Another Oil Spill

Should we not have a Law that forces all oil companies to report ALL OR ANY oil spills? How many spills are reported and how many go unreported?

Hard Decisions Must Be Made

Date: September 28th,2016 Dear Editor/Newsroom, December 17, 2013 Since the unprecedented Petrotrin oil spill of 2013 a wide variety marine life continues to wash ashore, dead or dying on…

Official Statements on New Analysis into the La Brea Fish Kills

September 23rd 2016 Fishermen and Friends of the Sea (FFOS) have addressed two open letters respectfully seeking an urgent meeting with the two highest office holders of our Republic, His Excellen…

Is Fish Safe To Eat?

Date: September 21st ,2016 Dear Editor/Newsroom, In light of the independent laboratory analysis conducted by the Caribbean Industrial Research Institute (CARIRI) for Fishermen and Friends of…