June 14th 2010
1 Kerria Drive
La Florrissante
D’Abadie
Phone: 646-8794, 771-5181
Honourable Minister of Energy and Energy Industries
Ms Carolyn Seepersad-Bachan
Ministry of Energy and Energy Industries
Level 26 Tower C
International Financial Center
1 Wrightson Road
Port of Spain
Dear Ms Carolyn Seepersad-Bachan,
RE: STOP THE ALUTRINT SMELTER SILO
Following our email, our hand delivered letter, and our telephone conversation of May 31st, June 1st and June 5th we once more urge a stop or halt to the construction of the alumina storage silo at the National Energy Corporation/Alutrint port at La Brea. Communications with officials at both Alutrint and the NEC indicate to us that they are awaiting directives from the Ministry of Energy on this facility. Work is continuing apace at this 45,000 ton smelter silo on public holidays and on weekends. Three photos of the smelter silo were taken in January and on May 29th 2010, and were sent to you. In addition, the photos below were taken on Saturday, June 12, 2010.
The 45,000 ton smelter silo, located on the La Brea port facility, is a large and expensive project. One week ago there was another bout of concrete pouring, and work continues at a frenzied pace. The silo’s planned height is about ten stories. So far the foundation has been laid, and first ring of outer walls is now being fabricated. If it is the intention of the People’s Partnership Government to stop the proposed Alutrint smelter, this facility must be halted. A halt will save the taxpayers considerable costs in a project already fraught with profligacy and very weak planning.
We urge that there is no legal impediment to immediately halting and reviewing this smelter silo. We did meet with all the partners of the People’s Partnership over the last four weeks and we were pleased to note that they all stated their position to stop, or halt and review the Alutrint smelter. We also noted what seemed to be the overwhelming agreement of the population with this position.
We reiterate our position that we regard the power plant and port facilities as potentially viable. The proposed smelter, which currently has no Certificate of Environmental Clearance, is not economically viable; it is destructive to the economy of Trinidad and Tobago, and poses severe health and ecological risks to the people of the South West Peninsula. We are currently working on proposals to locate viable industries on the proposed smelter site on which no construction has started, which would use both the electricity from the power plant and the port.
This matter must be a concern to all ministries and ministers in the Peoples’s Government, in particular the Prime Minister’s Office, the Ministries of Planning, Health, Finance, Housing and the Environment, Public Utilities, Legal Affairs, Sport and Youth, Commerce and Industry, Education and Community Development. We are therefore taking the opportunity to send a copy of this letter and attachments to all the relevant Ministers and Ministries.
We shall be available to meet with you at your earliest convenience should you require additional information or assistance on this urgent matter.
Yours sincerely
Wayne Kublalsingh
Dr Peter Vine
Elijah Gour
For
La Brea Concerned Citizens United
Smelta Karavan
Cc: Hon. Prime Minister, Kamla Persad-Bissessar
Hon. Winston Dookeran
Hon. Mary King
Hon. Stephen Cadiz
Hon. Rudi Moonilal
Hon. Jack Warner
Hon. Anil Roberts
Chief Servant, Makandal Dagga
Hon. Errol McLeod
Hon. Prakash Ramadhar
Hon. Lincoln Douglas
Hon. Anand Ramlogan
Hon. Ramona Ramdial
