Fresh wave of protests

No backing down in La Brea...
Camille Bethel cbethel@trinidadexpress.com
Saturday, June 6th 2009
http://www.trinidadexpress.com/index.pl/article_news?id=161487372

Another front opened up in protests by La Brea residents yesterday with the blockades of roads leading to the Vessigny Beach, which may be closed permanently when the Alutrint aluminium smelter is built.

The Ministry of Tourism-recognised beach resort is across the road from the Union Industrial Estate where preparation work is being done ahead of the plant construction.

The project has for the past week seen protests by residents of surrounding villages. Some have called for the State to abandon the project because of health concerns. Others have either asked to be relocated, compensated for damage to property, or given jobs on the construction site.

From around 4 a.m. yesterday, the Southern Main Road, which links Point Fortin to San Fernando, was blocked by trees felled at Vessigny Village. At Union Village, villagers said they threw bottles and rocks onto the road to prevent vehicles from passing, but denied reports that vehicles were damaged in the process.

Told of the new wave of protests, Alutrint corporate communications manager, Josieann Richards, said in an e-mail response that the company "reposes all confidence in the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service to ensure the maintenance of law and order in La Brea, as in the wider national community".

At the beach resort, workers said their employers, the Tourism Development Corporation, had told them nothing of the plans for the beach.

"We are not hearing anything from the Ministry of Tourism, we are not hearing anything from the Tourism Development Company (TDC), so we don't know what is taking place," one said.

The TDC did not immediately respond to queries by the Express.