Dear Sir,

Did anyone who read Diallo Rabain’s statement yesterday on the Rubis fuel leak think there was more politics to it than real concern for the environment?

I have been following reports since the leak was first reported and believe Rubis, with the support of the environment ministry, is taking the necessary steps to remediate the situation, including regular updates to area residents.

I also took note that my colleague, Sylvan Richards, the environment minister, has visited the site at least twice — once with his ministry officials, followed by a weekend visit with the Premier and local MPs Nandi Outerbridge and Kenneth Bascome. They questioned the company’s managing director and the clean-up specialists flown in to help to manage the remediation work. Visits with local residents followed. I have it on pretty good authority that Mr Rabain has not spoken with Rubis officials, nor has he visited the site. The same goes for his colleagues.

Mr Rabain’s statement, issued more than a week after the fuel leak was detected, does not in my view reflect real concern for the environment or area residents. It reflects, rather, just one more push-button political swipe by the Progressive Labour Party, especially when it finally, inevitably, turns on the Government.

I am a dyed-in-the-wool environmentalist. I have preached for years that we have to care for the land, the water and the air because they are all we’ve got. So I pay close attention to environmental matters. I have watched how Rubis has responded to the situation and I take note that environment ministry officials are monitoring the situation.

It is time to have a little more trust in each other and a little less politics.

JEFF SOUSA