A volunteer removing the diesel fuel and oil sludge from the water in Dawn Beach Pond on Saturday, December 28, 2019. (file photo)
PHILIPSBURG--The company that dumped diesel fuel into the pond by Dawn Beach across from The Westin St. Maarten Dawn Beach Resort and Spa on Friday, December 27, 2019, will pay for damage and is to make a donation to the non-governmental organisations (NGOs) involved in the clean-up, said Minister of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure VROMI Christopher Wever at the Council of Ministers press briefing on Wednesday.
Wever said VROMI had found the company liable and it had agreed to pay for damage and to donate to the NGOs. However, Wever did not disclose the amounts to be paid.
St. Maarten Nature Foundation said at the time of the spill that it had discovered a seriously polluted area, with birds and ducks covered in diesel fuel and oil.
According to the foundation, approximately 25 litres of diesel fuel and hydraulic oil was floating on the pond’s surface. A garbage-collection truck was parked next to the pond.
Persons in the area said mechanics were working on the truck and had dumped the oil in the pond, Nature Foundation said at the time.
