Ramesh takes Alutrint to London

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.

Speaking with reporters shortly before he left the country, Maharaj said the National Energy Corporation was proceeding to build a port and a power plant, despite a ruling by High Court judge Mira Dean-Armorer that the Certificate of Environmental Clearance (CEC) to build the smelter plant was null and void. Maharaj said the matter against Alutrint was expected to be heard on September 21 in the Court of Appeal, yet despite this, infrastructural works were ongoing at the Union site. He said such works constituted contempt of court. “Where there is a judgment of the High Court and a declaration has been made that the CEC was declared null and void, no work should be done directly or indirectly to have the plant established and operated,” he said. “So to continue to erect a power plant and a port to give support to the aluminium plant is being subversive to the order of the court.” He added that this constituted contempt of court. “If I am correct and this is a contempt, serious implications will arise as to whether Alutrint or the Government could ever be heard in the Court of Appeal, in any matter related to this,” Maharaj said. He said he believed the Government was acting in an illegal manner by continuing related works on the port and power station. He said after his return to T&T next week, he intended to file action against the Government for contempt of court. Maharaj said he would put together a technical team to visit the site. “I always believe in planning ahead...I will put a good team and visit the site and take photographs and see what is going on and I will continue to treat this matter in a serious manner because Government is hell-bent on getting this plant constructed,” he said. He added that if the order was overturned, he planned to have all paperwork in place at the Privy Council to ensure that he could get an interim court order or injunction quickly to stop the project.