• The Old Navy Base cove in Exuma will remain closed until August 10.
• Clean-up crews from last week’s oil spill continue working around the clock.
• Wednesday’s diesel spill was contained quickly and within two days more than 80 % of the spill was removed.

As crews prepare to remove sand for more testing and clean up any residual fuel from the sea; the Old Navy Base cove in Exuma will stay closed until August 10.

The Old Navy Base cove in Exuma is “almost back to normal,” according to Dr. Rhianna Neely-Murphy; director of the Department of Environmental Planning and Protection (DEPP); who was speaking at the weekly press conference held by the Prime Minister’s Office; as cleanup workers from last week’s oil spill continue to work around the clock to remove the last of the diesel from the cove.

In addition, Dr. Neely-Murphy stated: “Sand is also being evacuated from the site. Last night, we drilled several boreholes to find out if and where we had diesel that may have penetrated the sand bar; and reached the sand. We did discover fuel, therefore we will now begin the process of clearing; the location of the sand as well. Of course, the wave motion is to blame for it.

So today, the majority of the merchandise has been aggressively remove; and the beach now resembles what it did on Wednesday. Although things are still not back to normal; progress is being made. The beach will remain restricted until August 10 at which point; we will do another evaluation to decide whether or not to protect public access.

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The diesel leak that occurred on Wednesday was rapidly cleaned up, and within two days; more than 80% of the spill that had washed into the cove had been recovered. There was no further spillage downstream to nearby coves and bays.

Both the environmental harm and the level of responsibility are still being determined. “We are investigating the alternatives available to the government with regard to culpability and damages. We will be encouraged to pursue damages when those investigations are finished; according to Dr. Neely-Murphy.

“The law provides alternatives for merely illegal discharge in addition to sanctions,” she continued. Any and all remedial actions that the government would have paid for up to this point; and those continuing forward would have to be paid for by Sun Oil and the other firms involved; so they would be legal concerns.

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