This is a figure on which one should ponder bearing in mind that Barbados is 166 square miles.

The United States government recently approved offshore drilling in the Arctic. Many of those in opposition cite this Gulf incident in questioning claims by the oil industry that offshore oil and gas drilling would be safe in the Arctic. They argue that to date there have been overwhelming difficulties in stopping the flow of oil in circumstances where the waters in the Gulf are calm and where response equipment and resources are easily accessible. This is as opposed to the Arctic, which is remote and for which there is no tried technology for cleaning up a spill in icy conditions. 

An oil spill of even lesser proportions would truly be a disaster for the region. They can destroy coral reefs, fish, birds and ecosystems. They can also bring many industries dependent on the sea, such as fishing, travel and tourism, to a screeching halt. Thus, whenever there is an oil spill, it must sound a warning bell for the region to pull out its plans for disaster mitigation and determine whether there is anything new to be learnt in the current situation. CARICOM’s policy for the protection of the environment is not well known, however the Treaty of Chaguaramas does expressly provide that the Council for Trade and Economic Development should “ensure a balance between the requirements of industrial development and the protection and preservation of the environment”.

Further, in 2008 CARICOM agreed to a policy framework for the environment called the CARICOM Environment and Natural Resource Policy Framework (CENRPF). It should be noted too that Bharrat Jagdeo won the United Nations Environmental Programme 2010 Champion of the Earth award. Guyana has a difficult task of seeking to strike a balance between exploiting its natural resources for economic development and preserving its rain forest. These events should signal an improved awareness of the importance of sustainable development in the region.

Back in 1999 Caribbean countries put forward a proposal to the United Nations that the Caribbean Sea should be declared a “Special Area in the Context of Sustainable Development”. The area is vulnerable to the risks associated with oil spills as well as those associated with the shipment of nuclear waste. Of course, the resolution was opposed by the major shipping concerns because of the impact that the resolution would have on their commercial interests, and hence a watered down version of the resolution was passed. 

Civilisation has always faced this dilemma of exploiting the world’s resources for the benefit of mankind while at the same time preserving the environment. In the past, mining was conducted with little attention paid to the environment or safety. Some of it was as a result of ignorance, some out of callousness and greed. Perhaps these activities can never be entirely safe, but we must exercise great caution in pursuing our commercial interests. There can be no doubt given the magnitude of the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico that a similar catastrophe in or around our small islands could bring life as we know it to a halt.