Saith:
Chatham site still has potential
By Juhel Browne
Trinidad Express
Port Spain
Petroleumworldtt.com
03 25 07
Otaheite Bank is not being specifically
designed for the establishment of any aluminium
smelter, says Energy Minister Dr Lenny Saith.
"The Otaheite project is the
creation of an industrial estate. It has nothing
to do with the smelter. The smelter could be one
plant that could be located there," Saith said.
He did so in response to a question
raised on the issue by Opposition Senator Dr Tim
Gopeesingh near the end of the sitting of the Senate
at the Red House, Port of Spain, on Tuesday night.
Saith said the now abandoned site
for Alcoa's proposed US$1.5 billion aluminium smelter
at Chatham/Cap-de-ville, still remains a site for
potential industrial development.
"Chatham still remains a potential
site for industrial development but in the short
term unless there is a request from the people of
Chatham to return and put up a site there, it is
a second priority," Saith said.
In his 2006 Christmas Day message
on December 24, Manning said that based on a symposium
on the smelting issue, his administration had decided
to immediately discontinue all plans to establish
an industrial estate in Cap-de-Ville.
"Instead, we shall accelerate
development of a new industrial estate offshore
at Otaheite Bank from which Aluminium production
can now be pursued together with other industrial
plants," Manning then said.
During his address at the African
Union's 8th Summit in Ethopia, Manning said, "An
aluminium smelter is expected to start construction
this year, and we will have two in operation by
2012." On Tuesday night, Saith said,"I
guess when the Prime Minister made his announcement
he said if we are not going to proceed with it in
Chatham, Otaheite is a likely site. That is all
he said. Because Otaheite was already being developed
and work was being done to develop it at as an industrial
site."
Saith said the first phase of the
proposed Otaheite Bank site will be 1400 hectares
which is about 3459 acres and could be as large
as some 2000 hectares or more than 5000 acres.
"An aluminium smelter will
require 400," Saith said.
He noted the Otaheite Bank site
had been identified by the National Energy Corporation
(NEC) as one of three alternative sites for industrial
development for gas based industries since November,
2005.
The other two were Chatham and the
suggested extension of the Pt Lisas.
Saith said the NEC had filed an
application with the Environmental Management Authority
seeking a Certificate of Environmental Clearance
for the Otaheite site since November 2005.
He said the EMA responded one month
later requesting technical data on the site and
the NEC has since retained consultants to do the
required studies.
Trinidad
Express
Monday, March 19th 2007
Copyright
©2007 Trinidad Express. All Rights Reserved.
