La
Brea Alutrint smelter moving ahead smoothly
By
Carolyn Kissoon
South Bureau
Trinidad Express
Port
Spain
Petroleumworldtt.com
10 01 06
As protesters keep vigil at the proposed site for
the construction of an Alcoa aluminium smelter plant
in Chatham, the Alutrint smelter at La Brea appears
to be moving ahead smoothly with the full support
of the surrounding communities.
An
Alutrint official, who requested anonymity, said
yesterday: "From the beginning, we wanted to
establish a close working relationship with people
in La Brea and environs. We spend a lot of time
talking to residents and community groups and we
listen to their concerns.
"This
region has a long history of industrialisation and
La Brea was the first town in the Caribbean to have
electric street lights. There used to be two oil
refineries in the area with numerous small businesses,
so people are accustomed to heavy industry and they
know the benefits that can be derived."
Last
month, residents of Chatham and Cedros led a march
to Port of Spain to protest the Alcoa project and
a few days later a group of La Brea residents held
a motorcade into the capital city to show support
for Alutrint and the smelter project at Union Estate,
La Brea.
One
of the organisers of the La Brea motorcade, Fitzgerald
Jeffery, said: "I live very close to the Union
Estate site and I can speak about the views of residents
in La Brea. The advent of Alutrint has given us
a new lease on life.
Jeffery,
of Vessigny, said residents of Couva and environs,
including Chaguanas, had been told that the Point
Lisas Industrial Estate would be a time bomb waiting
to explode.
"Now
they are smiling all the way to the bank and many
of their children are employed either directly or
indirectly at Pont Lisas. Their property values
have also risen astronomically," he said.
Ray
Hamilton and Terrysha Williams, representing the
youths of La Brea, also lent their support to the
Alutrint smelter project.
Hamilton,
a 23-year-old musician, said: "Right now, there
is a different vibe moving through La Brea and the
youths have a more positive outlook since Alutrint
came on the scene."
Trinidad
Express
Monday, September 25th 2006
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©2006 Trinidad Express . All Rights Reserved.
