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News from the Caribbean as of
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Trinidad Prime Minister hints at third aluminum smelter plant
Monday, October 30, 2006
by Stephen Cummings
Caribbean Net News Trinidad and Tobago Correspondent
Email: stephen@caribbeannetnews.com
PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad: Along with protests in Trinidad about the dangers associated with smelter plants comes an announcement by Prime Minister, Patrick Manning, that a third smelter could be on the way.
On Saturday, the Prime Minister said there are other proposals to build a third plant in the country. He was speaking to a group at a meeting organised by the La Brea Sports Foundation, held at the Vessigny Secondary School in the South.
He said government would examine those proposals and if accepted and having met with the country's
Environmental Management Agency (EMA) requirements, it will be smelter number three.
The Prime Minister however did not name where the third plant could be.
He also dismissed claims by protesters that there were dangers associated with such projects, adding the EMA had increased its environmental requirements to ensure there would be no health risks or undue damage to the environment.
Over the months, residents of south Trinidad have been protesting the setting up smelters. This has also led to street protests. Many of the country's environmental groups have now galvanised themselves into one body saying they would not have any such project.
Many believe that, if the government were to set up any aluminum smelter plants, they would do untold damage to human and wildlife.
Head of the Trinidad and Tobago Civil Rights Association, former Attorney General Ramesh Lawrence, has also taken up the issue saying he will take the government to court and if possible all the way to the Privy Council in London to ensure the rights of citizens.
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