The circumstances which led to the hull ‘GulfStream’, now overturned on a very pristine Tobago reef system, is no doubt being investigated by people with wherewithal for that kinda thing. Our concern is a bit more immediate.
How much of coastal zone biodiversity is at risk? What effect will spill magnitude, yet to be determined, have on the area’s already stressed ecosystem? How will it affect the marine tourism sector? What effect on the fisheries, and by extension Tobago’s fish protein supply?
These questions come from a very personal perspective, as we at Mt Irvine Bay Watersport derives our income from people who pay to play in Tobago waters. True, an ongoing spill is a threat that may curb the recreational ambitions of even the most radical watersport enthusiast but likely our fears (as shared in this post) reflect the concerns of many others in Tobago.
It is very easy to discount the voices of the fishermen. They aren’t scientists, they aren’t environmentalists and they certainly are not politically palatable characters yet their questions are valid. What and how much of it is in that wreck? And what are the powers that be doing about it? The wider population have their cares too. The tourism accommodation sector in particular can’t be all that thrilled.
A tanker leaking ‘oil-like substance’ triggers a series of planned responses. Meaning logistical shakeups among things. On this great carnival weekend the inter-island ferry and the air-bridge are now mandated (under Disaster Management policies and prime ministerial mandate) to prioritise all goods, services and people traffic to do with managing the Gulf Stream emergency. This has, and the sum effect is not yet in, displaced people and material that normally move between the two island each carnival. So yeh, the accommodation providers are quiet casualties too.
Similarly stressed the Tobago House of Assembly is likely wondering what are the possibilities (and no future scenario is without pain) of looking good at the end of this clusterfook. Both Carnival and Sahara dust presents health issues. And resources to deal with such aren’t exactly forthcoming this rounds. So the Assembly may already be glancing skyward for relief.
Others harbor valid concerns of course but the average Tobagonian is kinda busy this weekend – there’s the masquerade you see. They are also sceptical anyone will even hear them given the cacaphony being wrought by politicians and media-mad personalities at this time. But in the meantime and despite all the brouhaha, the wreck of the Gulfstream remains yet unboarded, her secrets remain interminably locked