Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar has invited Guyanese President Bharrat Jagdeo to Port of Spain to discuss several bilateral issues, including the possibility of relocating the controversial aluminium smelter plant to Guyana.The previous government has proposed La Brea as the site for the smelter, a decision that was opposed by environmentalists and the opposition at the time.
During the general election campaign the People's Partnership coalition promised that it would not build the smelter. "No smelter!" it declared on the campaign trail.
And since it has formed the government the message has been repeated. "We have said before that there will be no smelter. This is the position," Environment Minister Roodal Moonlial is on record as saying.
According to Moonilal, "Until and unless all the parties to this dispute can arrive at a consensus as to the need for such a development policy and assure the nation on the health and safety issues, there will be no smelter in Trinidad and Tobago."
Press secretary Gavin Nicholas has confirmed that the Guyanese leader will arrive Monday night on a flight from Canada, where he is on Government business. His housing minister will accompany him. The talks are scheduled for Wednesday afternoon.
However, Nicholas did not give details of the agenda.
The Trinidad express reported Tuesday that its sources have said that Persad-Bissessar wants to examine the feasibility of relocating the aluminium smelter plant to Guyana.
Guyana has large deposits of bauxite, the raw material that the smelter will use, and vast land areas. Trinidad and Tobago has the gas to operate the plant.
The smelter project is on hold pending the outcome of an appeal against a High Court ruling that stated that the project did not receive proper environmental clearance.
The Manning administrated had entered into several agreements, including a loan agreement for US$400 million with Exim Bank of China to fund the project.
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