Essar:
Steel
plant
will
be
built
Port Spain
Petroleumworldtt.com
28 07 07
Although
Prime Minister Patrick Manning believes that
environmental lobbyists could stop construction
of Essar Steel Caribbean’s $2.1 billion plant
in Point Lisas, company officials yesterday said
that this will not happen.
Speaking
to reporters at the South Chamber’s
energy luncheon held at Soong’s Great Wall
restaurant in San Fernando, Essar’s head
of human resources and administration, Prem Singh,
said the company is working assiduously with the
Pranz Gardens community to build support for the
steel plant.
Singh said that the community has embraced the
plant.
Asked
whether environmental lobbyists could stop the
plant’s construction, Singh said: “We
really don’t foresee the possibility of that
happening. This is because we have a cordial relationship
with the community who are living nearby. We have
their support and they are looking forward to this
plant. Approvals from Government are in place so
we do not foresee this happening at all.”
Singh
said the resistance against to the steel plant
is coming from outsiders. “There is
no war between Pranz Gardens and our company. We
have been educating the community and providing
information and support.”
He said community members have submitted proposals
to Essar regarding tree planting exercises, improvement
of health services and a training facility.
SABOTAGE NOT
OUR RESPONSIBILITY
Over the past few months, vandals have defaced
a company sign at the Savonetta site where the
plant is being built. Protests have also been held
over noise, water and air pollution. Placards,
attached to wooden pickets, have also been stuck
on both sides of the road from Pranz Village to
the site.
Some
of the signs read, “Go someplace else,
Essar must go, Save our mangrove, No steel mill
in our back yard, Save our village.”
However,
Singh said that Essar has reported the acts of
sabotage to the police. He added that it
was not Essar’s responsibility of Essar to
stop such acts.
“Actually, it is for the police to do that.
We are proceeding with the project,” Singh
said. He added that the Environmental Management
Authority had given clearance and is satisfied
that Essar will adhere to all environmental laws.
“The EMA has thoroughly scrutinised our
processes and they are satisfied that the technology
and processes we deploy are absolutely safe,” Singh
said.
BENEFITS OF PLANT
Meanwhile
both Singh and Essar’s project
director Nandkishore Taori said the plant will
bring more than 7,000 jobs. During the construction
phase 7,000 people will be employed, while 1,500
more will be involved in the manufacturing phase.
Singh said that between 3,000 to 4,000 people
will get direct employment. He added that once
the plant is operational, there will be US$1.5
billion in foreign exchange earnings in addition
to US$1 billion in annual exports.
Story
by Radhica Sookraj from The Trinidad Guardian
The
Trinidad Guardian
Friday 26th October, 2007
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