TT:
Ramesh gives Govt ultimatum
By Ariti
Jankie
South Bureau
Trinidad Express
Port Spain
Petroleumworld.com
09 24 06
Protest against the construction of aluminium smelter
plants in Chatham and La Brea took another turn
yesterday, when the Government was asked to supply
the price it expected to charge Alcoa and Alutrint
for natural gas, electricity, water and the thousands
of acres of land on which the plants would be built.
The
Government has been given 14 days to reply before
legal action is taken.
Alcoa
is building the plant at Chatham. Alutrint is in
La Brea.
Senior
counsel Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj, at a press conference
at his Irving Street, San Fernando, office questioned
Government's decision to assist Alcoa.
"We
would like to know the amount of money Government
expects to collect from Alcoa," said Maharaj,
who is attorney for the Cap-de-Ville Chatham Environmental
Protection Group.
In
a pre-action protocol letter sent by mail and fax
to Prime Minister Patrick Manning and the Attorney
General, the group challenged Government's decision
to redesignate forest and agricultural lands for
the purpose of industrial estates.
Maharaj
said Government had disabled the Environmental Management
Authority in its duty to protect human life, health
and the environment. He said Government had refused
to hold consultations with the people for the establishment
of the plants and the redesignation of the land
as industrial estates.
Under
a Memorandum of Understanding, Government agreed
to facilitate and assist Alcoa in the construction
and operation of the smelter plants, it was said.
Agricultural
leases were terminated and 2,000 acres at agricultural
land in Chatham and Cap-de-Ville earmarked for the
project. At La Brea, another similar parcel of land
has already been cleared and prepared by the National
Energy Corporation, the group said.
Maharaj
said he would be sending letters to the authorities
in Venezuela, Grenada, Barbados and other Caribbean
heads of government, outlining the harmful effect
the smelter plants once built in Chatham would have
on them.
Trinidad
Express
Saturday,
September 23rd 2006
Copyright
©2006 Trinidad Express. All Rights Reserved.
