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Gambia's environment boss on US Oil spill
Thursday, 24 June 2010 12:28
By Aboulie JohnMomodou B. Sarr, Executive Director of the National Environmental Agency (NEA) has shared his expertise view with Jollofnews on the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, its disastrous environmental impact, and the resultant growing anti-Obama feeling among others.
In this exclusive interview with Gambian Affairs editor Aboulie John , Mr Sarr gave insights into this tragically environmental calamity that stills goes on even as you read this piece, Enjoy it:
JollofNews: What do you make of the oil spill?
It is obviously very significant for the environment although it would not immediately affect us in this part of the world. That is not the case though the Gulf where it will have a long-lasting impact on the environment due to the sheer huge volume of crude oil continuously gushing out from the well. The estimates of the spill have been augmented upwards by the American scientists who believe that British Petroleum, BP, the owners of well under-reported the volume. Due to the great depth and low water temperature near the well head, the pollution will remain for many decades. Another environmental concern is the use of dispersants to break down the oil. These dispersants are a cocktail of chemicals which would be easily absorbed by all living organisms. The fish caught and oysters harvested, which have significant commercial value for the area, would be seriously affected. Many people would no longer buy such products from the area for fear of contamination. The tourism business is huge in the area as well. Already many hotels in the area have reported low occupancy during the peak of the season.
Jollofnews: How sure are you that it cannot have any ripple effects in The Gambia or at least in our part of the World?
Well let me paint you the picture of how it would have meant had it been anywhere near our part of the World . Imagine that the US, with all its technological advantage, is still unable to fully contain the spill after so many weeks; What would an African government do in a similar situation? And some of the offshore oil fields in West Africa, particularly in Ghana, are at a similar depth. The movement of the Large Marine Ecosystems such as the Canary and Guinea Currents is along several countries and over a much wider area than in the Gulf. So, a similar accident in West Africa would have devastating effects on several countries due to the movement of such Large Marine Ecosystems currents. Our dependency on fish as a cheap source of proteins, would leave the people in these areas with no choice but to continue eating the contaminated fish products with all the inherent health effects.
Jollofnews: What impact is the containment/cleanup having in the perceptions of the US and Obama and BP?
It is surprising to note that the EIA process for such offshore facilities in a developed country as the US did not identify the scenario currently being played out. From the reports we have seen, BP has been groping in the dark by testing different techniques to stop the spill. The EIA regulations we have in The Gambia would have required the company operating the oil rig to present a concrete proposal on how to deal with a similar spill as part of the EIA approval process. The response would therefore have been more effective and timely.
The current US government has declared that BP shall foot the entire bill for all clean-up activities and BP shall be forced by law to comply. I strongly believe they would do. The US will show the world that any polluter will have to pay a high prize for causing such pollution. That is an important warning to oil companies who have been in the past accused of looking more at their profits than the environment or safety of their workers. There is also a moratorium on all offshore exploratory drilling until new safeguards have been finalized.
The image of BP has already been negatively affected and its share values have dropped significantly in the past few days. For President Obama, the criticism against him is unfair. He was not the US President when the oil rig was given approval to operate. He has also visited the affected area several times and assured the locals that they will be fairly compensated for loss of income, as well as assured them that the environment would be rehabilitated as far as possible. What many political US commentators fail to remember is the fact that the majority of the people in these affected areas did not vote for President Obama in the last elections. Many of these people in fact openly expressed their racist sediments against President Obama when he was running for the Office. So, whatever President Obama does will never meet their approval due to their expressed and entrenched racist sediments.
The End
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Comments
Comment
Last bit of this quote's positive & encouraging on regulations in place in Gambia. However, this first scenario on impact's very scary if it were to happen to Gambia, our community.
We have always argued that we do not need to reduce our country to a failed state through endless trials,sackings and witch hunts.We face great challenges in moving our country forward and the sooner all these distractions cease the better for our people.If we start exploiting oil in Gambia in the present atmosphere,all the knowledge of our technocrats is not going to save us.
Thank you
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