Today, World Earth Day highlights the important work being done on the island for the benefit of Montserrat and, to advance preparation in the event of an oil spill occurring on our shores.
The Disaster Management Coordination Agency, DMCA in collaboration with the Montserrat Port Authority, MPA continues to make significant progress in the development and implementation of a national Oil Spill Preparedness and Response programme should an oil spill occur on our shores.
The DMCA and the MPA have conducted series of oil-spill training exercises with a number of key agencies to minimize and effectively respond to any oil spill on Montserrat. They are the Royal Montserrat Defence Force (RMDF), Montserrat Fire and Rescue Service (MFRS), Royal Montserrat Police Service (RMPS) Marine Unit, Montserrat Port Authority, Delta Petroleum Limited, and the DMCA. The exercises also involved shore clean up and assessment training.
Additionally, a national oil spill plan has been drafted to take to Parliament for ratification. This Oil spill plan is the bedrock for effective preparedness and response to oil spill emergencies on Montserrat. It also provides for the establishment of an effective and coordinated national oil spill preparedness and response system.
Senior Disaster Management Coordinator at the DMCA, Astrid Wade who is spearheading Montserrat’s national Oil Spill Preparedness and Response programme, says the training exercises were well received by all the participants, however, legislation and enforcement measures are critical to the success of the national oil spill programme.
An oil spill is one of the most dangerous manmade disasters. An oil spill can poison waterways, kill vegetation, and destroy environments and wildlife and caused irreparable harm to humans exposed to oil spills.
The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) provided the equipment, booms, skimmers and, Personal protective equipment (PPE) for the National Response to an Oil Spill on Montserrat.
Earth Day came about following a huge oil spill off the Santa Barbara coastline in Southern California on January 28, 1969.The theme for Earth Day 2022 is “Invest In Our Planet.”