Many weeks after the Gulf Oil spill became a headline story, the CEOs and business leaders on the COMPAS business panel now blame BP and the U.S. government almost equally for the disaster. By immense margins, panelists blame BP for weak environmental practices and the U.S. government for weak oversight before the spill.

A smaller majority also blames the White House and Congress for restricting the clean-up operation to U.S. suppliers. Critics of this decision are inflamed. As an oil executive on the panel put it, “The refusal to allow foreign crews, equipment and expertise to assist the cleanup is the biggest sin in this whole fiasco…Not allowing foreign help was …[the] most disgusting example of stupidity by the U.S. administration I have seen (though it is a close contest).”

The U.S. government earned a failing grade for its performance when the panel was asked two months ago, and continues to earn a failing grade today. Outgoing BP CEO Tony Hayward also earns a failing grade, albeit a slightly better grade than his company.

Most panelists believe that Hayward was shown the door because the company needed a sacrificial lamb or expected to gain from having an American national as CEO. Very few believe that Hayward was replaced because of poor performance. Yet, those who took this position tend to feel strongly about it. “A classic example of how NOT to handle public relations…around a serious and high profile environmental disaster,” commented one panelist. “You witnessed a truly over paid, inept CEO, more concerned about his life, and demonstrated a disregard for those affected,” said another.

These are the key findings from this past week’s Internet survey of CEOs and business leaders on the COMPAS panel. The weekly business survey is undertaken for Canadian Business magazine under sponsorship of BDO Dunwoody LLP.

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