February 2010

Published: 12 Feb 2010

Humanity has built its social and physical infrastructure on the basis that the Earth’s environment is more or less static. We humans expect to experience all of our lives in a relatively stable earthly environment. We assume that there will be no major disruptions or permanent long-term changes. We build cities, monstrous buildings, roads and superhighways, airports and seaports and establish national boundaries as though the environment will continue to be the same forever. However, historical evidence indicates otherwise. The Earth’s environment has never being static—it has been changing continuously since the beginning, whenever that was. There have been periods of rapid and catastrophic change and periods of slow change.

Radhica Sookraj
Published: 8 Feb 2010

Activists opposed to the Essar steel mill say Essar Caribbean Steel has pulled out from its 2.5 million tonne per annum (MTPA) integrated steel plant project at Point Lisas, after company officials packed up and left. And now that their victory is won, activists say they will be now be lobbying the Environmental Management Authority (EMA) to crack down on pollution in the mangrove swamp, located north of the Claxton Bay jetty. University of the West Indies lecturer, Wayne Kublalsingh, said they did not have official word from the Government that Essar had abandoned the steel mill project. He explained, however, that six months ago, company officials said they planned to pull out from the project for two years because of the downturn in the economy.

By Julien Neaves
Wednesday, February 3rd 2010

PRESIDENT of the Quarry Association of Trinidad and Tobago Ramdeo Persad says his group is not proud of the local history of quarry rehabilitation and after use.

’In the majority of cases, quarries on both State and private lands have simply been abandoned without even the barest rehabilitation measures being implemented.’

He noted that ideally quarrying is regarded as a temporary activity and upon termination, the land should be restored and rehabilitated so it could be utilised for other productive purposes.

Published: 3 Feb 2010
Radhica Sookraj

Hundreds of farmers from the villages of Aranguez, Cunupia and Pasea have joined forces with the anti-steel mill and anti-smelter activists with the hope of lobbying the Government to change the route of the proposed rapid rail project.

The group met with activists from the T&T United Fisherfolk, National Foodcrop Farmers Association, Pranz Gardens Village Association, Citizens for Social Justice, Rights Action Group and the Claxton Bay Fishing Association at the Claxton Bay fishing port. President of the Cunupia Farmers Association Anil Ramnarine said prime agricultural lands at Esmeralda Road, Ragoonanan Road, Welcome Road, Mon Plasir Road and Ramgoolie Trace would be destroyed if the project continued along the proposed route. He said at least 500 homes would be directly affected. “We have come here today to join with the anti-smelter and anti-steel mill activists to seek help to save our lands,” Ramnarine said.