Savonetta
steel
plant
to
go
up
despite
residents'
protest
By Louis B Homer
Trinidad Express, South Bureau
Port Spain
Petroleumworldtt.com
09 23 07
In the midst of demonstrations and protests from
residents of Savonetta and Pranz Gardens, Claxton
Bay, the ESSAR Steel Company is pushing ahead with
the construction of its US$2 billion steel plant
to be constructed at Savonetta.
Speaking yesterday at a breakfast meeting organised
by the Couva/ Point Lisas Chamber of Commerce,
Glen Cheong, the company's chief financial officer,
said the plant, when it becomes fully operational,
is expected to generate US$1 billion a year in
foreign exchange and will provide 1,600 full-time
jobs when the plant is completed.
Land for the plant is being cleared and construction
is expected to start before year's end.
Cheong,
a former banker and chartered accountant, said: "During
construction, 7,000 jobs will be created and
there will be a cash flow of US
$1.5 billion."
He said the new plant, which will be one of the
most modern in the world, will produce a number
of down-stream products, such as automotive parts,
storage tanks, pipes and tubes, furniture and coils.
Cheong said before he accepted a senior position
with the company, he went to one of its plants
in Mumbai, India, to witness the operations and
effects on the environment.
"After visiting the plant, I had no hesitation
in believing that such a plant would be environmentally
safe for this country," he said.
He said one of the undertakings given to Government
was the establishment of a dedicated Environmental
and Risk Management Department.
But the guarantees did not soothe the residents
of Savonetta, who are unhappy about having the
plant located close to a residential area.
Ryan Sant, a resident of Savonetta Estate, said
he was worried about the impact the plant could
have on health.
"Residents will be living within a short
distance of the plant and they will be subject
to toxic poisoning and other inconveniencies," he
said, adding he was alarmed that land earmarked
for former workers of Caroni (1975) Ltd was leased
to ESSAR to set up a steel plant.
Carolyn Seepersad-Bachan, a lecturer in chemistry
and former senator in the UNC government, said
she visited the area where the plant was to be
built and was shocked to see what was taking place
in the absence of a Certificate of Environment
Clearance by the Environmental Management Authority.
Prem Singh, head of Human Resource and Administration
at Essar, said the plant will be built more than
200 metres from existing houses, and the products
to be manufactured would not be toxic.
Sant said the anti-Essar group is expected to
protest in front of Whitehall today to highlight
their concerns.
Trinidad
Express
Thursday, September 20th 2007
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©2007 Trinidad
Express . All Rights Reserved.
