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September 2009

Work to resume at power plant

Posted Sun, 27/09/2009 - 11:44 by Monique

Carolyn Kissoon South Bureau
Sunday, September 27th 2009

Construction of the Trinidad Generation Unlimited (TGU) power plant at Union Industrial Estate, La Brea, is expected to resume tomorrow, as several workers have signed new contracts handed out by the site's main civil engineering contractor, E Pihl and Sons.

But the workers who refused to accept the new terms and conditions would return to the site, as they attempt to secure a meeting with management.

Enill: Full support for local quarries

Posted Sun, 27/09/2009 - 11:43 by Monique

Published: 27 Sep 2009
Peter Balroop

Energy Minister Conrad Enill admits that the proposed 2010 budget initiative for the Government to access quarrying material from Dominica comes as news to him. His disclosure came when asked, last Wednesday, to explain why the Government was intent on making this move, as outlined in the September 7 budget presentation by Finance Minister Karen Tesheira.

She noted then, that the move was in light of Government having to import aggregate from as far as Canada, because domestic demand outstripped domestic supply. The Sunday Guardian’s request of Enill, whose portfolio includes quarrying operations, came in the context of the Quarry Association of T&T taking issue over the Minister’s announcement that the Government proposed to invest in quarrying facilities in Dominica to complement the T&T supply.

'Heavy burden' for environmental groups

Posted Sat, 26/09/2009 - 11:46 by Monique

Smelter appeal
Julien Neaves
Saturday, September 26th 2009

CHIEF JUSTICE Ivor Archie told lawyers representing environmental groups yesterday they face a "heavy burden" to support a High Court ruling which struck down a Certificate of Environmental Clearance (CEC) for the controversial Alutrint plant.

He made the comment during day three of a civil appeal filed by the Environmental Management Authority (EMA) and Alutrint, challenging a ruling which had halted the multi-million dollar project in La Brea.

New plant to manufacture industrial chemicals

Posted Fri, 25/09/2009 - 12:32 by Monique

Louis B Homer South Bureau
Thursday, September 24th 2009

Special industrial chemicals will soon be manufactured locally when Carisal Unlimited completes its US$240 million plant on the Point Lisas Industrial Estate.

The plant will produce calcium chloride, caustic soda, hydrochloric acid and sodium hypochlorine.

Vernon Paltoo, team leader at the National Energy Corporation (NEC), said, "Unlike traditional primary petrochemicals like methanol and ammonia, the new plant will not use natural gas as its raw material, but rather as a fuel in the production process."

Alutrint QC delivers submissions

Posted Fri, 25/09/2009 - 12:31 by Monique

EMA 'Certificate' matter
Thursday, September 24th 2009

Arguments challenging High Court Judge Mira Dean-Armorer's decision to quash the decision of the Environmental Management Agency (EMA) to issue a Certificate of Environmental Clearance (CEC) to Alutrint, developer of the aluminium smelter at La Brea, entered day two yesterday, with Queen's Counsel Keith Straker delivering his submissions.

Straker has been retained by Alutrint Ltd, while attorneys Douglas Mendes, SC, and Ian Benjamin are representing the EMA. Russell Martineau, SC, and Stuart Young appeared for the Attorney General, while Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj, SC, and Vijaya Maharaj represented the Rights Action Group (RAG). Fyard Hosein, SC, and Rishi Dass appeared on behalf of the Smelter Karavan.

Anti-smelter activists need to rethink strategy

Posted Fri, 25/09/2009 - 12:30 by Monique

Published: 24 Sep 2009

I see that Alutrint has now come forward with a series of advertisements called “Facts vs Fiction” in an effort to counter the heavy anti-smelter information in the media. While this is probably just more propaganda in a different style, it is still good to see an attempt to bring out some of the facts about aluminium smelting. This debate has been going on for a long time and the anti-smelter group has had it all its own way so far, mainly because of the tremendous support of the media. However it seems to have lost track of the issues and its main attack is now on personalities and politics.

Look to alternative energy

Posted Fri, 25/09/2009 - 12:28 by Monique

Wednesday, September 23rd 2009

The report simply reminds us that our petroleum reserves are not infinite.

Yet many of the people who express so much distress about the limitations of our resources would do nothing to use more efficiently the energy that in many instances is mindlessly consumed on a daily basis.

Since we were hit by the global financial and economic crises, I find myself thinking a lot more about energy efficiency and more so since I was privileged to be part of a discussion panel at the private sector forum of the recent Summit of the Americas.

'EMA acted within the law in granting CEC'

Posted Fri, 25/09/2009 - 12:27 by Monique

Appeal starts
-Denyse Renne
Wednesday, September 23rd 2009

Arguments challenging High Court Judge Mira Dean-Armorer's decision to quash the decision of the Environmental Management Agency (EMA) to issue a Certificate of Environmental Clearance (CEC) to Alutrint, developer of the aluminium smelter at La Brea, got off the ground yesterday before a packed courtroom.

The appeal-which is being heard before Chief Justice Ivor Archie and Justices Allan Mendonca and Wendell Kangaloo-began with submissions from Senior Counsel Douglas Mendes, who is seeking the interest of the EMA.

Environmental schizophrenia

Posted Fri, 25/09/2009 - 12:25 by Monique

Julian Kenny
Saturday, September 19th 2009

She may be an acknowledged legal authority on ethics but our Minister of Finance in her 2010 budget presentation displays little knowledge of the environmental issues that we face, merely reading a multi-authored compilation produced by the small army of personnel in her ministry, sifting through the submissions from the various ministries. And as has happened with all previous budget presentations from all administrations reference to "Environment" is no more than a superficial three or four paragraphs that are meant to convey the impression that the Government is actually really doing something.

Go green, save money

Posted Fri, 25/09/2009 - 12:24 by Monique

Published: 20 Sep 2009

The road to a greener home is paved with cheap tools like power strips and caulk guns. Cutting-edge green technologies promise to reinvent our energy infrastructure, reshape industry, and save our environment.

But when it comes to saving money on energy at home, little steps can take you a long way there. And let’s be realistic: people usually need to plan for big home expenses. So before you shell out, here’s a way to think of your home’s overall environmental footprint and take some steps towards ‘green-ness.’ Once you’ve tackled the basics, we’ll tell you how you can start thinking big.