This is another disaster between BIG OIL and small communities – Residents in Marathon should know that their matter should be taken directly to the EU and to the doorsteps of the head offices of BIG OIL!

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Battling in the Bahamian Courts is would be a WASTE OF TIME AND MONEY!!!! Leaks were found at the Marathon Texaco/Rubis site as far back as 1995/96 –

What the Public may not know about this Rubis Debacle? Former Atlantis employee Cheryl Knowles who lived on Prince Charles and OLD Trail Road next door to Rubis had suffered for years died of Cancer!

By Alexander James

Nassau, Bahamas – Bahamas Press has been following these developments in Marathon and has decided to express some points, which we know the WUTLESS MEDIA and operatives of Fred Smith will not cover in a report.

Bahamas Press has tracked down an expert in the field who worked for Chevron in the Bahamas and whose experience in the business has taken him into the EU.

According to that source, “There were leaks at that Rubis service station site as far back as 1995/6 and during the FNM’s second term in office. There were also leaks at Rubis Shirley Street service station; the contaminated soil was remediated and residents in the area received financial compensation for damages suffered.”

BP understands Texaco installed monitoring wells at the Robinson Road site in 1996 when then retailer Philip Cartwright observed losses in his fuel from the underground storage tanks.

Texaco was bought by Chevron who would have assumed the liability and also been made aware of the leaks at that site from 1996. Chevron did nothing substantive during their time in Bahamas to address the issue, and when they sold to Rubis the liability would have been assumed by Rubis unless they were unaware.

Both Chevron and Rubis should be held to account and not the Bahamian retailer, as the oil company owns the equipment at that site. The retailers would have told Texaco of the leaks and they did not fix the problem. It is as simple as that!

Bahamas Press tells the residents affected that they should not to waste their time paying attention to people seeking to distract the issue from the place where the matter can and will be resolved.

Our legal opinion from deep inside the EU have assured that “the Marathon residents who are affected have a valid claim for damages and should seek legal advice in the USA and France as Chevron is based in San Ramon, California and Rubis is based in France. European Union laws are very strict on environmental responsibility of European owned companies and/or subsidiaries.”

Additionally, data gathered by Bahamas Press confirms from insiders of former Texaco confirmed, “During the past 10 years or so….Texaco had a company in the Bahamas called Environmental Resource Management (ERM) that has been in here to map up and clean up underground gasoline from diesel tanks that had leaked into the ground at multiple stations throughout the Bahamas!

“In particular….there has been mitigation of underground leaks at [GET THIS]  Foxhill, Airport Storage Site, Blue Hill Road, East Bay Street, and other New Providence Locations…”

That same insider has confirmed to BP, “I am also 100% aware that the presence of leaked fuels were identified in Exuma, Grand Bahama, Eleuthera, and several other Islands…..This is a widespread problem.”

The MP for Marathon is not liable or responsible for the damages caused by these big oil companies. If for the sake of an argument one takes the view that he is responsible then the FNM under HAI is responsible as this started under his watch and they did nothing!

Also, Dr. Donald Cooper who was the Director of The Environment at the time was aware of the Shirley Street leaks because he had a financial interest in the Shirley Street Texaco station, now Rubis. It is reasonable to conclude that the government agency was aware of the leaks from 1996 and we ask the question again to the Free National Movement pundits – WHAT DID THEY DO ABOUT THIS SITUATION THAT IS NOW BEING ADDRESSED BY THE CHRISTIE ADMINISTRATION?!

The MP/Politicians is not where the blame is!

In fairness to the MP for Marathon he has at least diagnosed the problem and identified the solution that will bring remedy to the affected residents of Marathon. Placing the blame at his feet is wrong, unconscionable and ill intentioned. It is reprehensible for both the FNM and the media to use this highly unfortunate environmental incident as a political football, where the FNM only interest in this is to use the pain, suffering, inconvenience and death of Bahamians to seek some demented political advantage.

Dr. Minnis as Leader of the Opposition must account to the people of The Bahamian people for the negligence of the FNM who did not protect the health of Bahamians living in the area and the long term exposure to an unhealthy environment from 1996 and during their last term in office that together have placed the health of many Bahamians at risk. Earl Deveaux was both the MP for Marathon and The Minister for the environment – WHAT DID HE DO ABOUT THIS SITUATION?

Bahamas Press contends the culprits of this environmental disaster are Chevron and Rubis! As our EU legal expert advised while investigating this report, “There is no contributory damage on the part of the government as the government clearly acted in the public interest when the matter came to its attention shortly after its discovery in December 2012.

“Further, to date the recommendations made by Black and Veatch were implemented and monitoring of wells in the general continue. Suffice it to say, the government is not financially responsible for the oil company’s mess!

“Further, the current administration is now addressing it by being transparent when they became aware and the responsibility for ensuring that private property is maintained to a level where it does not become a nuisance rests with the owner of the property. When the owner fails to do what he is legally required in this instance, which is not to damage the environment or cause a public nuisance, pain and suffering to neighboring property owners, the offending owner must pay civil and punitive damages where possible negligence is proved.”

We report yinner decide!