And a suggestion has been made for farmers to seek legal representation on related concerns, if necessary.
In November 1995, two irrigation wells in Gibbons Boggs, Christ Church, which supplied water to 50 nearby farms were closed to prevent contamination
from a leak from Shell.
One foot of aviation jet fuel had leaked from the Shell Antilles underground line and was found floating on top the six feet of water.
As a result, the line running from Oistins to the airport was closed and Shell took responsibility for the leak.
However, yesterday, farmers, chief executive officer of the BAS James Paul and president Carlyle Brathwaite all expressed disgust at the situation which continued to plague farmers in the area.
Speaking during a question-and-answer segment, one farmer who raised the issue said farmers at Gibbons Boggs continued to suffer from the 1995 leak.
Paul told the farmers the issue with Shell Antilles was an ongoing one and that they needed to be more assertive in demanding their rights.
He added that definitive steps needed to be taken to call Shell into account, especially as farmers had lost money.
Responding to the farmers' concerns, Brathwaite, also president of the Barbados Egg and Poultry Producers' Association, suggested the new board meet and discuss what form of representation was necessary to examine the issue.
During a telephone interview with the SUNDAY SUN, country chairman for Shell Eastern Caribbean, Andrew Hart, explained that the leak and the issue of compensation were not in dispute.
However, he said, Shell and Texaco, the companies responsible, had met to discuss the issue and a compensation offer had been made.
This, Hart said, was refused by farmers, who put forward their own figure.
Noting that the farmers had changed attorneys several times, the chairman called on them to get organised, have a legal representative to negotiate on their behalf and provide a compensatory figure with economic analysis.
"We have said that we are willing to settle, but we can't say how many have been affected because we were not given that figure," Hart said.
He also explained that removing the fuel from the well was a process that would take some time. "It is not a simple process. It takes a long time. It will be ongoing for years to come," he said.
Hart added that Shell and Texaco were trying to set up another meeting with farmers to have the matter brought to a close.