Ships are refuelled from barges in ports all over world
Tuesday’s front-page story on refuelling ships beggars belief. There was also a twominute video on your webpage featuring the “researcher,” who turns out to be a retired accountant from Ireland. No mention of his credentials in the marine industry, but a whole diatribe about bunkering barges, which he refers to as “these bunker ships.”
As a retired shipmaster, I’m qualified to inform your “researcher,” Eoin Finn, that bunkering by barge is an everyday occurrence in just about every port in the world.
My wife is a retired mariner, too, and our combined deepsea service exceeds 40 years; ships we served on bunkered from barges literally hundreds of times without incident. As in every other industry, and in every aspect of life, mishaps occur from time to time. Ship’s crew members and everyone involved in the marine industry worldwide have the most to lose from accidental oil spills and work diligently to prevent them.
Your “researcher” appears to have little or no knowledge of how vessels operate and it’s a sad indictment for your newspaper to give such prominence and credibility to his alarmist misinformation.
Bernie Smith, Parksville
Bunch of fearmongering
Tuesday’s article on what could happen in the event of a major oil spill in Burrard Inlet is the height of fearmongering.
Right in the article it acknowledges that the study does not take in to account any spill response or cleanup efforts. The reality is there is and would be a robust cleanup system in place, so why release this study to the public before the spill response is taken in to account?
The answer can only be they want to get as much negative reaction as possible. This is totally irresponsible and misleading to the public. Sure, they indicate that the study will later examine the spill-response side of the equation, but the bad and inaccurate message is already out there. Shame on them.
Jikky Middleton, North Vancouver
Just don’t light up
Re: Life in Whistler. Two stabbings, one death, fights, extra police hired to patrol the streets ... but don’t you dare smoke anywhere. After all, that might be dangerous to your health.
Garry Saik, Vancouver
Voter apathy explained
Since the TransLink tax plebiscite is nonbinding, why are regional mayors wasting our taxes telling us how to vote?
Does anyone really wonder why there is apathy about voting?
Gordon Swanson, Surrey
Leave voting system alone
Letter-writer Andy Thomsen writes that the elections in Alberta and Britain show how “dysfunctional” our electoral system is and why it should be replaced by a proportional representation system. Both elections produced majorities with clear mandates.
Proportional representation tends to result in minority governments with different parties making deals to form a coalition government. I would hardly call that more stable.
John Clench, Vancouver
‘Cowards’ is the right term
I agree with Gordon Clark’s views on sexist thugs. I believe the best thing he said was, “Women are easy targets for these bullies, who really are just cowardly little pukes.”
Too many violent acts are carried out either on those who can’t fight back or those outnumbered by the bullies. Unfortunately, perpetrators seem to think that a cowardly act somehow strengthens their egos. How one can take part in such cowardly acts and pat themselves on the back is beyond me.
Ken Sharp, Ladysmith