The Tribune

THE government’s intention not to release the environmental impact assessment for the proposed Oban Energies oil storage and refinery facility on Grand Bahama until a new Heads of Agreement is signed is “fishy”, according to activist Joseph Darville.

Mr Darville, chairman of advocacy group Save the Bays, again raised the alarm about the project, saying “even an idiot” would realise the construction involved would “wreak havoc” on surrounding ecosystems. His comments come as government and Oban officials are gearing up for a January 7 meeting to negotiate a new agreement for the controversial project.

Last week, The Tribune exclusively revealed the project’s EIA is complete, however Labour Minister Dion Foulkes, who heads a Cabinet subcommittee looking into Oban negotiations, told this newspaper the document will not be made public before a new agreement is inked.

“With much consternation, we are learning that an EIA for the proposed Oban Industries has been completed, but will not at this time be made public for scrutiny,” Mr Darville noted in a statement.

“This, in itself sounds most fishy. Even an idiot, without the least understanding about our marine ecosystems, would realise that even the minimum incursion for establishing an oil refinery, storage facilities and mega ships birthing, even with the most sophisticated and modern machinery, would wreak havoc on some five ecosystems comprising the proposed areas. Presently, those areas are home to a multitude of varieties of sea life; all will all be wiped out with the very first application of dredging machinery.

“Why are we even entertaining any discussions related to such activity, when worldwide we are seeing dramatic departure from digging into the belly, bosom and breasts of Mother Earth to bring up outdated and damaging sources of energy? We should instead, like wise and sensible small nations are now doing, utilise the natural resources daily available to us to not only obtain energy for our own consumption, but also be in a position to supply it to other entities in the region.

“If we are in the very least concerned about leaving an environmentally sound and safe country for future generations, we must cease forthwith from selling their birthright for the proverbial pot of porridge. It would take one accident, explosion or oil spill to further destroy the area, as well as the entire extent of the south shore of Grand Bahama. The putrid smells from the refineries will forever create health problems, resulting in deaths, across the entire island,” Mr Darville said.

“Finally, why are we venturing into the destruction of our natural protections against ever increasing and dramatic climate change effects by damaging or destroying the very first barriers against storms and rising seas? We tout the serious consequences on small island nations at the United Nations, yet at the same time we are inviting entities to come in and obliterate protections that they cannot impinge upon in other places. Greed and avarice bring these entities to our shores and we fall prey to their dangling trinkets and magnified false promises of great wealth. It simply must stop.”

On Saturday, December 22, on the sidelines of a $25,000 contribution to Grand Bahama’s Superstar Rockers Junkanoo group, Alexander Grikitis, managing director of operations at Oban Energies, said the company is still committed to this country and its people.

“We are looking to show our support and showing we are here to support more jobs, and in the long-term Oban has now completed its EIA for our project,” Mr Grikitis said. “We are hoping to get our permitting going in the New Year, and early January we have a meeting with the government.”

Mr Grikitis said company officials are looking to provide new jobs hopefully this time next year.

“We will have hundreds of jobs for Bahamians, and we can continue community support going forward to the Superstar Rockers, and other community programmes,” he said. “But we saw what they (Superstar Rockers) did and what they are looking to do, and we want to be part of the community, and we thought this would be a good way to start.”

Oban Energies is proposing to build a $5.5 billion oil storage terminal and refinery project in East Grand Bahama. The government’s initial agreement with Oban sparked intense criticism, including points of opposition from several environmental organisations that took issue with lack of an EIA, given the project’s risk factors. There were also concerns about the background and capabilities of some Oban executives.

The fallout prompted an admission from Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis that there were gross missteps in the government process.

“While our heart was in the right place, these missteps should not have happened. We must, we can and we will do better,” Dr Minnis said in March.

In the months following that admission, various Cabinet members have hinted at key improvements that would be made with a new HOA, but nothing concrete has been presented.

While in Grand Bahama, Mr Grikitis revealed to The Tribune that Oban would be meeting with the government on January 7.

When asked whether there would be any changes to the project, Mr Grikitis said: “I can’t really disclose that now until we talk to the government and then we will kind of get there.”

The Oban executive also said company officials have found office space in Freeport.

“We have identified a location at Grand Bahama Highway, and right after we get through the January 7 meeting with government, we plan to get the lease signed and move the project forward and open the office,” Mr Grikitis said at the time.

“As well as once we get through permitting, we plan to clear the first 100 acres to get an office up and going right away,” he added.