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July 2009

More to smelter than meets the eye

Posted Fri, 24/07/2009 - 06:07 by Monique

Published: 23 Jul 2009
http://guardian.co.tt/business/business-guardian/2009/07/23/more-smelter-meets-eye

A lot of steam was generated a couple of weeks ago by the Anthony Wilson article about T&T sending LNG to Jamaica to power their calcining process that produces alumina from bauxite.
Wilson had pointed out that these Jamaican industries are almost totally owned by international investors including a Russian oligarch. In other words Prime Minister Manning has put on record that he considers it a “national priority” for us to supply our valuable LNG to feed the fortunes of these foreign “entrepreneurs.”
Several letters hit the papers all crying foul. I did not see in any of these letters where this LNG would come from, considering our fast depleting reserves. Manning having previously advised Jamaica that we simply do not have the reserves available to supply them has now made an about face and now intends to supply.

New port plans for Claxton Bay

Posted Fri, 24/07/2009 - 06:05 by Monique

By Camille Bethel
Wednesday, July 22nd 2009
http://www.trinidadexpress.com/index.pl/article_business_mag?id=161507465

The National Energy Corporation (NEC) has shrunk the size of the port facility it intends to build at Claxton Bay.

But despite promises not to destroy the mangrove or river, residents of the area still oppose the project.

The NEC's new plans are contained in a document mailed out to Claxton Bay residents recently. The residents burned the letter during protest action two weekends ago.

As a result of the new plan, the Environmental Management Authority (EMA) returned to investigate the potential environmental impact of the project on the community, before considering whether to grant a Certificate of Environmental Clearance (CEC).

Ramesh takes Alutrint to London

Posted Mon, 20/07/2009 - 12:38 by Monique

Radhica Sookraj
Published: 20 Jul 2009
http://guardian.co.tt/news/general/2009/07/20/ramesh-takes-alutrint-london

Tabaquite MP and attorney-at-law, Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj, SC, flew out to London yesterday to get technical help to build evidence to stop the Government from proceeding with Alutrint’s smelter plant in La Brea. While in London, Maharaj says he also plans to put machinery in place at the Privy Council so that if the need arises, he can get an interim order at short notice to stop further work on the Union Estate, La Brea.

Environmental, human costs

Posted Mon, 20/07/2009 - 12:32 by Monique

Camille Bethel and Richard Charan
Sunday, July 19th 2009
http://www.trinidadexpress.com/index.pl/article_news?id=161506320

Environmental activist Dr Wayne Kublalsingh was shocked to learn that the State intends to go ahead with the construction of the industrial island.

"I am quite surprised that given the state of the global economic situation and the strong opposition of the people that the State plans on going ahead with this island."

"I think what the Prime Minister (Patrick Manning) is doing is destroying the vital organs of economic wealth, the people, the land, the community, the ecological system-in order to create a little financial gain for him to continue to perpetuate his rule," Kublalsingh said in an interview.

Put a stop to illegal dumping

Posted Sun, 19/07/2009 - 12:30 by Monique

Published: 19 Jul 2009
http://guardian.co.tt/commentary/letters/2009/07/19/put-stop-illegal-dumping

As a resident of Maraval, I traverse the Saddle Road through Santa Cruz and the Morne Coco quite frequently. Both of which are beautiful winding mountain roads through scenic Trinidad and Tobago. While driving along these wonderful mountain roads the stretches of beauty are punctuated by scatterings, heaps, piles, mounds and in some places mountains of garbage and debris dumped by less than civil members of our crumbling civilisation.

From fridges and stoves to tires and toilets. On the crest of the Morne Coco there are two dumpsters, presumably for public use. There is so much garbage in and around the bins, it has begun a journey onto the road partially blocking the westbound lane. This seems to be a common story that takes place all over our beautiful Twin Island Republic.

Government Attempting to Advance Work on Alutrint

Posted Sat, 18/07/2009 - 08:02 by Monique

July 16, 2009
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/stopthesmelter/message/1206

The Junior Minister of Housing, Ms. Nunez, held a meeting yesterday together with MP Fitzgerald Jeffery in La Brea and told residents of the Alutrint “buffer zone” that because of the court decision she cannot discuss relocation but that she wanted all residents to know that the HDC has houses available and that they can “voluntarily” apply to the HDC to get houses that are available. This came on the heels of telling residents that they had lost their chance of getting a house because of the people who are opposing the construction of the smelter complex.

MP requests probe into Alutrint books

Posted Sat, 18/07/2009 - 07:58 by Monique

Anna Ramdass aramdass@trinidadexpress.com
Saturday, July 18th 2009
http://www.trinidadexpress.com/index.pl/article_business?id=161505956

Opposition MP Dr Roodal Moonilal has written to the Auditor General, requesting a probe into the accounts of the Alutrint smelter plant.

Moonilal, in his letter, raised concerns over the millions of dollars spent by Alutrint which, to date, have not been accounted for through any report.

"This company is fully funded by the taxpayers' money and since its establishment in or around 2005, Alutrint has not published or produced for the Parliament any audited reports on its financial state of affairs, expenditure and income," Moonilal wrote.

Govt still seeking support for smelter

Posted Fri, 17/07/2009 - 06:44 by Monique

Camille Bethel cbethel@trinidadexpress.com
Friday, July 17th 2009
http://www.trinidadexpress.com/index.pl/article_news?id=161505499

Government representatives are still trying to get the support of La Brea residents in the construction of the Alutrint smelter.

On Wednesday evening - just one day shy of a month, of the High Court ruling that stopped work at the Alutrint smelter at the Union Industrial Estate, La Brea, MP Fitzgerald Jeffrey and Minister in the Ministry of Housing Tina Gronlund-Nunez met villagers from the communities surrounding the Industrial Estate.

The Alutrint shafting

Posted Thu, 16/07/2009 - 06:36 by Monique

Andy Johnson
Thursday, July 16th 2009
http://www.trinidadexpress.com/index.pl/article_opinion?id=161504993

THE front page picture of Dr Wayne Kublalsingh baring his t-shirted chest, underneath an opened shirt on the day of the High Court judgement against the Alutrint Certificate of Environmental Clearance (CEC) was telling. It was evidence of a less-than-hidden agenda from the anti-smelter lobby. Whether in Chatham where they scored a major victory, or in La Brea where the battle continues, the objective is the same. "No Smelter," the slogan on the radical academic's chest read.

So where will the Scarlet Ibis nest?

Posted Wed, 15/07/2009 - 06:32 by Monique

Published: 15 Jul 2009
http://guardian.co.tt/commentary/letters/2009/07/15/so-where-will-scarlet-ibis-nest

Quoted in Scientific American, July 3, by ecology researcher at the University of Maryland, David Luther, and Russell Greenberg, head of the Smithsonian National Zoo’s Migratory Bird Centre: “Mangroves are threatened by development, pollution, mariculture and changes in sea level and salinity.”

The impact on creatures that depend on mangroves remains poorly documented. Tangled woody mangrove forests cover about 65,637 square miles (170,000 square kilometres) around the world, but they are quickly disappearing. A 2007 UN report noted that 20 per cent of the globe’s mangrove forests had vanished in the 25 years between 1980 and 2005, a rate that the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation’s director called “alarming.”