Smelter plant not option —King

Published: 7 Jul 2010

Planning, Economic and Social Restructuring and Gender Affairs Minister Senator Mary King says establishment of a smelter plant in T&T is not an economic option.

King said that while presenting a Government motion for debate on the state of the T&T’s economy in the Senate yesterday. She said establishment of a smelter plant in T&T was “uneconomic, not to mention the environmental and health risks.” She said aluminium smelting needed cheap stranded gas that could not be used for anything else.

“We need to use the remaining gas efficiently and get as high a price as possible in the context of local energy security,” King added. That was another clear indication of the new Government’s intention to keep an election promise to stop construction of the smelter plant at La Brea. King painted a negative picture of the country’s economy. She said, however, it was “not a basket case at present.” She said while some people have claimed the economy was strong that situation may be poised for “rapid degeneration” because of the global recession and other negative issues. Source: http://guardian.co.tt/news/politics/2010/07/07/smelter-plant-not-option-king