Experts
suggest alternatives to an aluminium industry
By Kim Boodram
Trinidad Express
Port
Spain
Petroleumworldtt.com
12 17 06
This
country is suddenly being forced to think, seriously,
about its future.
The
population is taking a deeper interest in what is
being done with their money, land and resources.
Questions arising from the Government's proposal
to build three aluminium smelters - as frequently
announced by Prime Minister Patrick Manning - on
the Southern Peninsula. This is a sensitive area
of vast bio-diversity that carries a history of
agriculture. Massive protest to these plans have
arisen around the country - people worry that their
health and economic futures will be compromised.
The
total area earmarked for industrialisation is around
six square miles - 800 acres in Union Village, 2,000
acres in Cap de Ville and 1,100 acres in Chatham
- a significant portion of the peninsula. At some
points, the peninsula is three miles across. It
is inhabited by over 15,000 people.
Manning,
whose government has said that the proposed Alcoa
smelter will generate US$100 million a year in revenue,
has frequently and widely stated that industrialisation
is intended all the way to Icacos.
Last
Wednesday, the Government, the South Trinidad Chamber
of Industry and Commerce, the University of the
West Indies and the University of Trinidad and Tobago
held a 'Symposium on the Aluminium Industry in Trinidad
and Tobago" at Paria Suites in La Romaine,
where arguments from both sides came out.
It
is hoped that this will be the first of a series
of discussions, despite insistence by Manning that
nothing is going to change the course decided on
by his Government. The smelters being proposed so
far are to be built by American giant Alcoa and
the partially-owned local company, Alutrint.
Among
the presentations made on behalf of the State was
independent authority CRU Strategies' Colin Pratt.
According
to Pratt, Trinidad's contribution to aluminium smelting
industry would be less than one per cent.
The
world's consumption is increasing greedily and about
four smelters would have to built every year from
this point on to satisfy it. Despite this, aluminium
is a trendy industry and there is no guarantee that
it would be profitable even ten years down the line.
For now, smelters are attracted to places that have
very cheap energy sources of electricity and more
importantly, natural gas. There should also be a
stable business environment.
At
this stage in global development though, smelters
are typically built where energy resources are isolated
and there is no alternative to monetising the energy.
These are places that are not connect to pipelines
or do not have active port trading. Asked whether
Trinidad and Tobago fell into this category of desperation,
Pratt replied, "No."
Professor
John Spence suggested that the focus be shifted
to downstream industries.
Spence
pointed out that Japan - the manufacturing king
of the world - imports two and half million tonnes
of primary aluminium per year to feed its downstream
industries - and has a smelting capacity of a mere
6,000 tonnes per year.
Spence,
who referred to T&T's creation of the Buffalypso
as an example of local genius, proposed that a partnership
be formed with Guyana. That country which has the
space and the potential to develop hydroelectric
power. This is cheaper and more modern than devastating
virgin forests and unique flora and fauna to build
a power plant in Chatham. He suggested that T&T
should be looking at competing, not selling out,
even on the aluminium market.
Cedros
Peninsula United (CPU) also has recently completed
a full alternative developmental plan for the peninsula,
much of which seeks to utilise the proximity to
Venezuela.
"Cedros
is a frontier-type, transnational community, by
virtue of its proximity to Venezuela," said
Dr Raphael Sebastien, head of the CPU. "This
could be the launch pad of a dynamic relationship
between the two.
"There
is no doubt that the small, pirogue-type fishing,
the foundation and mainstay of most coastal communities,
is in the throes of a crisis. We are at a loss as
to the state of negotiations with regard to our
Fishing Agreement with Venezuela. In the past, Government
used to secure passes allowing small fishermen to
shrimp in defined areas of Venezuelan waters during
the shrimping season. This is no longer the case
and is definitely an area to be looked into."
Revival
of the fishing industry would include the prohibition
of deep-sea trawling, which has devastated sea-beds
and most of which are done by Taiwanese and Venezuelan
fishermen. The industry, the CPU said, is being
forced into fallow by all these activities - and
then the poor-state of affairs is being used as
ammunition in the State's quest to build smelters.
"Aquaculture
is an area in which Venezuela has made significant
in roads. We can learn much from them for our future
inland aquaculture initiatives," the CPU said,
also referring to the possibility of a joint venture.
It
is also believed that there can be a notable profit
derived from tourism on the peninsula - though marketing
to the rest of the world will be the key to success.
The
CPU has proposed am Eco-tourism and Ferry Service
to Venezuela that will open up to beach hikes, sea-bathing,
boating, fishing, coastal tours, aqua-sports and
eco-tourism. This could include a Duty Free Port
that would eventually grow into an eco-friendly
marina. This also opens the doors or annual events
in all of the above and is guaranteed to attract
thousands of tourists every year.
The
CPU argued that the country must resist making a
large amount of money in a short time, while killing
the goose that laid the golden egg. The short-term
nature of the industrialisation being pursued by
the Government means this country will be left with
a finite amount of money to feed itself.
Government's
plans effectively sideline
agriculture, reducing our ability to weather global
warfare, drought or floods, where food outweighs
gold in value, the CPU said.
The
CPU has proposed that serious and genuine efforts
be made to revive industries such as cocoa and coconuts.
The
CPU has also put forth a proposal for a Cedros University
campus that will include The Language Institute
of the Americas - capitalising on a growing flow
of South Americans into T&T who want to learn
English to increase their career bases. Technology
centres that do not have much impact on the environment
are also appropriate for the 21st Century.
Given
T&T's history in sugar-cane and agriculture,
there is room for an Alternative Energy Research
Institute. This was echoed by Lincoln Myers, a former
Minister of Agriculture under the National Alliance
for Reconstruction (NAR) and the current chairman
of emerging political party, One Accord. Speaking
to Express Business later on, Myers touted alternative
development.
Ethanol
is being hailed as the fuel of the future while
T&T apparently seeks to eliminate any possibility
of producing it, either for domestic or local use,
he said. With the closure of Caroni (1975) Limited
and the subsequent creeping demise of the sugar-cane,
cassava and corn industries - this country chances
of enjoying part of that pie are dwindling. The
above three crops are all used to produce ethanol
- a clean burning fuel that experts say will sooner
than later replace petroleum-based burners and natural
gas - both of which are fast running out. Myers
said that true sustainability lies in development
that has perpetuity - like food.
"We
can explore the possibility of small ruminant cultivation
- sheep, goats. I fully agree with Professor John
Spence that the Buffalypso must be explored."
Business
Express has been told by the creator of the Buffalypso,
Dr Steve Bennett, that while the country does not
have the pasture capacity to compete globally, a
niche market can be found for frozen sperm and embryos.
Because T&T did not patent its creation, the
animal is being bred en masse in other countries,
including Italy, where the milk is used to make
prized Mozarella cheese.
"Certainly,
we can provide Latin America, parts of North America
and Europe with seed," Dr Bennett said. "We
have not explored the domestic potential of the
animal. In Latin America it is being bred for meat,
why can't we do the same?"
Myers
deemed it "absurd" that the smelter is
being touted as a facility that will give a green
park to the nation.
"We
don't need a smelter to give us a park! That is
absurd! We just have to develop the park. We can
have a properly developed national park at a time
when these spaces are becoming less available in
the world.
Professor
Julian Kenny's arguments have been largely based
on the perceived endangerment of democracy by the
Government's approach to the smelter issue.
Kenny
has stressed time and again that several parts of
the peninsula currently under threat are in fact
reserves of forest and or home to species of flora
and fauna found on that part of the island, in some,
in the world. This is among the strongest bases
for a call for the area to become a wild-life park
- one that could attract hikers, nature lovers and
scientists from around the world.
"Owing
to proximity to the Orinoco Delta, several special
of mainland plants and animals have become established
as area endemic species on the peninsula, enriching
the biological diversity of the area. Notable plant
species include the epiphytic orchid species, the
Cedros Bee, the Cedros Balisier and Cuyule Palm.
Notable animal species include the Silver Hatchet
Fish, the Cedros Guabine, the head and tail light
tetra, the slender-toed frog, Hyla Miniscula, a
tree frog (tiny in size) and a colubrine snake,"
Kenny stated.
While
the smelter proposal has started a debate on the
most appropriate development plan for that part
of the country, there are some who feel the issue
is being forced and there is no need to rush into
change.
"Why
don't we just leave it alone?," asked Glen
Ramjag adding that if development is such an issue
- tourism should be at the fore.
"I
see Barbados and all the other small islands on
international TV. What do you think they have become
famous for? Their flora, their fauna and their people."
Trinidad
Express
Wednesday, December 13th 2006
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©2006 Trinidad Express. All Rights Reserved.
