Minister to be quizzed on crude carrier's sinking

Abu Dhabi: Dr Rashid Ahmad Bin Fahd, Minister of Environment and Water, will be quizzed over a cargo ship carrying hundreds of tonnes of diesel which sank off the coast of Umm Al Quwain in October, at the Federal National Council (FNC) session tomorrow.

Hamad Ahmad Al Rahoumi, an elected member from Dubai, will put a question to the minister on measures taken by the ministry to address the problem.

Al Rahoumi, who heads a committee on agriculture and fisheries, said he wanted the Ministry of Environment and Water to get to the root of the problem. "Efforts should be made to correct or eliminate the root causes of ship sinking and oil spills rather than beating around the bush."

Al Rahoumi, General Manager of the Fishermen's Cooperative Society and the owner of the first live fish-trading project in the UAE, said oil spills severely affect marine wildlife, water desalination plants and creeks, to mention a few.

"Quicker actions and a higher degree of preparedness by the Environment Ministry are needed to truly solve the problem by addressing its root causes."

Largest

The representative questioned the measures taken more than a month after the vessel, White Whale, sank.

The ship was said to be lying at a depth of 35 metres, 11 nautical miles off the coast of Umm Al Quwain.

The UAE's largest oil spill happened in 1994 when two oil tankers, Baynuna and Seki, collided off the coast of Fujairah. An estimated 16,000 metric tonnes of light Iranian crude oil were released, initially polluting 30km of coastline.

Al Rahoumi said he would demand the ministry take all measures to protect environmentally and economically sensitive facilities and breeding and nursing habitats of marine species across the country's coastline. A group of judges who are also environmental activists have recently urged that the UAE should have courts dedicated to environmental issues.

Al Owais to be queried

The FNC's session will see Abdul Rahman Al Owais, acting Minister of Health, questioned on the establishment of a Federal Health Authority.

Ahmad Mohammad Al Ameri, an elected representative from Abu Dhabi and head of the health, labour, and social affairs committee, will put the question to the minister.

The House will also give its response to President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan's speech, delivered at its first session on November 15.

The council will review a number of treaties signed by the country, presidential decrees and a federal draft law on organisation of the profession of translation.

The session is open to members of the public and will start at 9am tomorrow.