Rowley seeking answers about proposed T&T smelter project

When the House of Representatives meets on Wednesday for the budget presentation by Finance Minister Winston Dookeran, it is likely to address one matter before attending to the fiscal measures bill.

According to the order paper, Opposition leader Keith Rowley has asked Energy Minister Carolyn Seepersad Bachan to provide oral answers to questions about the proposed smelter in south Trinidad that was part of the former administration's overall energy plan.

Specially, Rowley wants to know:

• whether the Government of Trinidad and Tobago has taken or intends to take a decision to stop the Aluminium Smelter Project
• If the answer is in the affirmative, could the Minister state when was this decision taken and give the details of the decision

Rowley has further questions on the matter if the answer is that the smelter project would be scrapped. He wants to know:

1. what contracts and other agreements will be affected by the decision
2. the total estimated financial costs to be incurred by the Government as a result of any cessation of the Smelter Project
3. how the Government proposes to treat with the loss of employment opportunities which will flow from the closure of the project

The Smelter projected was stopped by a court order in June last year.

The ruling by Justice Mira Dean-Armorer effectively halted work on the multi-million dollar aluminium smelter plant at La Brea.

Dean Armorer granted an order quashing the decision of the Environmental Management Agency (EMA) to issue a certificate of environmental clearance on April 2, 2007, to Alutrint, the developer.

“It is my view that the decision of the defendant, EMA, was procedurally irregular, irrational, and made without regard to the relevant consideration, that is to say, the consideration of the cumulative impact of the three related projects—the power plant, the aluminium complex, and the port facility,” the judge wrote.

She said she had no doubt that there was considerable scientific evidence before the court of threats of both serious and irreversible damage to both the environment and human health.

Despite that, then Prime Minister Patrick Manning insisted that nothing would stop him from building the smleter.

Read the story: We won't stop smelter: PM Manning
Related: You will get your smelter, Manning promises supporters in Point Fortin

During the general election campaign Rowley was silent on most national issues and concentrated on a campaign against Manning.

The People's Partnership, which won a landslide victory with 29 of the 41 seats, had campaigned on a promise to halt the smelter.