DrummiT2summiT2 takes environmental focus

Renuka Singh
Sunday, May 24th 2009
http://www.trinidadexpress.com/index.pl/article_news?id=161481367M/a>

A meagre crowd gathered at the St James Amphitheatre yesterday for the second installment of the Drummit2 Summit entitled DrummiT2summiT2 which focused on environmental issues.

Eleven-year-old Chatham resident, Nalini Singh took the podium and faced the arc of drummers to relate the story of life in Chatham nowadays to the small gathering.

"We not taking any ALCOA handouts," said this junior activist. "We say no to smelters, no to steel mills and not to stupidness." Norris Deonarine, president of the National Farmers and Foodcrops Association, urged the Government to invest more money in agriculture and less on smelters and steel plants. "Food and water is the most important resource. We have to protect it!" he said. His sentiments were echoed by Kishore Boodram, president of the Claxton Bay Fishing Association, who bemoaned the destruction of the natural hatching ground off the waters in Claxton Bay. Boodram said the Claxton Bay mangrove produces over 400,000 pounds of mullet fish per year, yet despite the mangrove's importance, the National Energy Corporation (NEC) was applying to build a massive port, to facilitate the Essar Steel plant. Boodram explained that the proposed site of the new port will destroy 625 acres of the seabed. The group informed the attendants that they have the right to demand the proper management of the country's resources and urged them to write to the Prime Minister and the Members of Parliament to help highlight the issues facing the citizens.