CARIBBEAN GOVERNMENTS are worried about the possibility of oil from the massive spill in the Gulf of Mexico reaching their coastlines.
They say that if the oil from the blow-out does come, it will spell serious trouble for their tourist industries.
Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Baldwin Spencer said that Caribbean countries expressed their fears to United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton during talks in Barbados earlier.
He told reporters attending a Press conference with Clinton at the Hilton Barbados on Thursday that there was “anxiety” in the region about the spreading oil slick.
Clinton said the Bahamas Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Brent Symonette had given her a “sobering presentation” based on the scientific analysis of what could happen if the oil got into the region.
It could soil the beaches in The Bahamas, Jamaica and Cuba, he warned.
The Bahamas also made the point that the United States’ and the Caribbean’s understanding of, and preparation for, dealing with disasters such as the spill were outdated, Clinton reported.
She called for the US and the Caribbean to adopt new contingency plans to replace such preparations.
The former US First Lady said the Obama administration was doing what it could to contain the spill and limit the damage. (TY)
