Jun 29 - GSD Says Government Continues To Confuse LNG Safety Arguments
The GSD has today challenged Government to publish in full any documents it claims to have received from HSL in relation to the use and storage of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) in Gibraltar. The party says it is “unacceptable” that in such an important debate the Government continues to provide only “isolated and unverifiable quotes” from documents it claims to have received but does not publish the document itself.
A party statement released earlier this morning continues:
“It is equally wrong that the Government should continue to make false claims about the report by Lloyd’s Register made public by the GSD. That report was not substantially redacted to the tune of some 80 pages as claimed by Mr Picardo and anyone who reads the report can see it has not been redacted. It is the identity of the commissioners of the report that has been removed at their request. This was explained by the Leader of the Opposition in an interview with GBC last week.
“Likewise the GSD does not understand where the Government had obtained the information that the report is based on a single skinned tank. The report makes no makes no reference to single or double skinned tanks.
“It is also untrue that the Lloyd’s report is based solely on locating LNG storage facilities on the detached mole as the report very clearly states that a location on the North Mole was also examined.
“Neither is it the case that the GSD have at any point stated that risks highlighted in the Lloyd’s report cannot be reduced, quite the opposite, we have repeatedly made clear both in our public press conference and press releases that the Lloyd’s report describes means of reducing the risk to a level as low as reasonably practical. This does not mean zero risk and that is where our deep concerns rise. The consequences of a serious LNG incident remain so grave that no matter how unlikely an event might be, our community should not be exposed to that risk.
“If the Government wishes to genuinely inform the public about its position on LNG and engage in an honest debate, it must also stop distorting the Lloyds Report and it must publish in full any safety reports it has, whether from HSL or any other agency, which states that there is absolutely no risk from an LNG terminal being placed at the North Mole, just 300m from people’s homes.”
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