I have serious difficulties with Alfonso’s claims about tug

A word of caution when dealing with hearsay presented as evidence seems to be in order, your newspaper gave prominence and credence to an unsubstantiated claim by a Trinidadian attorney, Nyree Alfonso who is identified as a ‘Maritime Lawyer’ and said she did research prompted by inquiries from various persons and/or entities. I would ask that your reporters inquire if any of these paid her for her ‘research’ and ‘opinion’. I have serious difficulties with Alfonso’s claims based on my unsolicited research.

1. The fuel leaking seems to be Bunker C, which is currently only used by GPL.

2. No local supplier sources Bunker C from Aruba.

3. No local supplier routes fuel near Tobago, it makes no economic sense. Point Lisas to Georgetown, Suriname to Georgetown, and even PDVSA offshore ships are located nearer to Georgetown than Tobago.

4. Panama Canal seems illogical for any Guyana tugboat unless it was newly bought and would add a cost that makes no economic sense. One can buy a tugboat in the Atlantic or Caribbean seas easily enough.

Some clues to the ownership of the boat point directly to Trinidad, in Nyree Alfonso’s words “I was able to find out that Mr. Solo Creed coming through the Panama Canal picked up a barge called the Coolie Boy and he headed to Guyana,”. Mr. Solo is a very famous Trinidadian racing powerboat, sponsored by the Solo drink (found only in Trinidad), Coolie Boy is not a name a Guyanese would name his boat in a country that takes a dim view of the slightly racist connotation. I would ask again if Nyree

Alfonso has a client involved in this incident.

Editor, I am sure there are multiple agencies around the region working together to identify the owner of the tugboat and barge involved and I would suggest you exercise patience and await credible evidence and reports and not entertain speculation and possible misinformation designed to muddy the already oily waters (forgive the mixed metaphors).