Dominica: Oil Refinery
Dominica
Chris at Dominica Weekly writes: “I strongly believe that most Dominicans don’t realize the dangers of an oil refinery and how it can destroy the livelihood of many Dominicans. It’s so unfortunate…”
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Chris at Dominica Weekly writes: “I strongly believe that most Dominicans don’t realize the dangers of an oil refinery and how it can destroy the livelihood of many Dominicans. It’s so unfortunate…”
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Based on the Wikipedia list of countries, details.
If Fuel is soo destructive to Dominica, why do we store it and keep machinery that need it, we talk about an International Airport when Dominica in itself do not have enough fuel for increased interantional flight to the island.
To deny such a precious natural from the earth, we first must get rid of all it’s agents in order to save our natural island from further pollution.
I mean, why store oil/ fuel for vehicles if it cannot be refined in your own country at no cost for distribution to your caribbean neighbours well then TEXACO and West Indies Oil should not be welcomed on our shores as they import harzardous substances.
We talk about Geothermal energy, and we are prepared to disrupt our hotsprings for extensive field work in elctricity, a natural resource used for ecotourism.
Dominica is a volcanic island and we cannot afford to trouble this natural resource, an alternative is wind energy.
I speak on behalf of all Dominicans who work in Oil Refineries world wide that one oil Refinery will not make us loose our Nature Island Image.
I join the majority of Dominicans who are in favour for it and I will continue to pray for my Prime Minister, The Right Honourable Roosevelt Skerritt for a remarkeable job. God will continue to bless this him and this Nation.
Martin,
Poorest in the sense that Dominicans have the highest percentage of people leaving Dominica due to lack of jobs and poverty than any other island in the caribbean.
Good things come to those who work for it and make sacrifices just like St Lucia my native land, we made a sacrifice and we are reaping the benifits, my parents are from Dominica but I think that Dominicans are backward in their thinking and must move along with the rest of the caribbean to ensure that your children have a future. In St Lucia we will welcome an Oil refinery, hey we store fuel and are building storage tanks accross the island and we are still able to maintain st lucia’s natural image, Dominica that is larger should have no problem but will look forward to welcome new and improved technology that will boraden the scope of oyr people.
Jason,
I take your point entirely, however I do not see that the long term risks that are very real are worth it, especially when there are alternatives. This is a possible quick fix, quick fixes usually fail in one form or another.
An article that says much of what I feel is available herehttp://www.thedominican.net/articles/refinerytwo.htm
Follow some of the links, if you are prepared for these risk, then so be it.
Money is sadly not the answer to all issues, health and well being are priceless.
The consumer led lifestyle we seem to aspire to in the Caribbean, like America is a road to certain doom. Modern economics does not take into account environmental or ecological concerns in any shape or form, YET without it there would be NOTHING. Think about this in your analysis. New ways of considering these issue such as http://www.footprintnetwork.org/gfn_sub.php?content=global_footprint which suggest that the planets ecological account is in deficiet, oil being one of the degrading aspects to this BTW Dominica is one of the most vulnerable countries in the world to global warming
For some further ideas and stimulation check out http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/view/id/193
http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/view/id/227
http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/view/id/18
These are very real potentials, so perhaps the sacrifice and hard work should be applied in different areas that do not pose the same associated risk, these are indeed new and improved technologies, oil refineries are not exactly a new found technology.
Dominica is way ahead of most nations on the Happi Planet index, perhaps happiness is less important than money. Of course that is a personal decision.http://www.happyplanetindex.org/map.htm
I’d be very interest to find more details to this refinery, such as the process being proposed etc and all for a honest analysis.
One thing for sure is that the people of Dominica are NOT stupid, perhaps leadership is questionable as is illustrated by participation in the IWC and the position held, while the principle of “sustainable use of marine resources” is laudable and I’m cool with that, however the politics and horse trading fails to give integrity to the argument, especially when you start to investigate beyond the papers and articles in the media.
One clear threat to sustainable development is population, a subject that very few people will address, due in main to the arrogance of our species, Homo Sapian.
I hope you and other can be sufficiently open minded to have a clear and unbiased debate,politics does not come into this in regards to potential end results.
Martin,
I think its a world wide issue rather than a Dominican issue, this should be planned carefully as we are guilty for using machinery which needs fuel, we store fuel for island use, if it is destructive, don’t keep it.
Oil Refineries like the ones in Antigua, Barbados and Trinidad are controlled and never posed a threat to the environs or people who live close to them, but in the event of development or an inrternational airport, we need the support.
We are all human living in Dominica, we need to understand that Dominica is sold as an eco tourism destination and that people come Home to visit our natural resources. If we decide to build an oil refinery to make money and create jobs how are the eco lodge or resorts going to benefit from that? we need to understand that an oil refinery brings about so much more than money and that the effect can not be fix. I am a young individual and frankly we need jobs but the oil refinery isn’t the way unless that oil refinery is so different from the thousand of other refinery that produces zero health effect and pollution. Dominica is so natural and cool please the vote of many can help change the idea of a refinery. where in Dominica can A refinery be built without harming me , i really want to see that we a smart because when it is built the group of people that are for it is out of there because they can afford to leave but i am getting sick because you put it there. Dominica is an eco tourism destination and we need to keep it like that
I was sad to hear that the refinery idea is open again. Dominica is a beautiful place and put that at risk for a refinery that Hugo will build and then certainly expect something in return is not forward thinking. Ven. oil is heavy oil…more refining needed….the risk to the soil, air and water are enormous….regardless of what you are being told. Big business never generates long term sustainable employment! It is small business that provides the kind of jobs that will remain. Once the price of oil drops…..jobs will disappear much faster than they appeared.
We have been investigating an investment in the tourism industry, but we will have to put that idea on hold until the situation with the refinery is determined. It would be a tragedy to ruin the environment in Dominica, look what happened to the “safe” refinery in St. Croix.