WILLEMSTAD – InterCaribbean Trading & Shipping Company is not allowed to trade the 500,000 liters of diesel in its storage. The sulfur content is too high and that is the reason why the oil distribution company Curoil won’t buy the fuel.

There are no permits for storage, says Minister Suzanne Camelia-Römer. The company says that everything is in order and that Curoil does not tolerate competition. The company can go to court if they do not agree with the minister's decision, Romer says.

“The presence of this liquid is a direct danger to the environment. For this reason, the ministry has advised the minister to proceed immediately with the issuance of an order for the complete cessation of the prohibited activities. I would also like to point out that if a citizen disagrees with a decision taken by the minister, he is free to submit the decision for review to the independent judge,” said Minister Camelia-Römer.

On the property of InterCaribbean Trading & Shipping Company, several trucks and storage facilities were found with oil products. It was visible that a certain amount of oil product had already leaked to the ground, leading to soil contamination.