Pt Fortin must stand up for its rights

THE EDITOR: When they were in opposition it was very convenient for the PNM to identify with the plight of the Point Fortin residents. They were against what Atlantic LNG did and called for the immediate redress for the obvious damage within the community. The destruction of the Clifton Hill beach was no secret. Now that the table has turned, the question is: Has their position changed? If not, what is there to show in this regard?

The sea wall replacement project currently in progress along the Clifton Hill Beach front has nothing to do with restoring the Beach to its pristine glory. Instead, its expressed purpose is to protect ALNG’s 36-inch pipeline. What arrogance! This demonstrates a total disregard for the real issue. The damage which starts from Guapo and extends all the way down to Fanny Village, Granville, Cedros and even as far as Columbus Bay has not been addressed. All the prized beaches along the entire coastline on the northern side of the southwestern peninsula have been severely damaged by rapid and increased erosion. The heavy silt brought down by heavy dredging activities upstream is also creating havoc and nightmare for the fishermen and other coastline communities downstream.  Damage to the mangroves, valuable plant life and other environmental damage are also visibly evident. Additionally, all the social, economical, recreational and fishing activities the residents enjoyed and benefited from prior to ALNG’s operation in Point Fortin are no longer in existence. The residents of Point Ligoure, New Lands and areas in the immediate vicinity of ALNG’s operating plant, complain daily of respiratory and other ailments resulting from the excessive dust, heat, extra bright lights and emissions. This emanates from large flares, which burn twenty-four hours a day in dangerously close proximity to their homes. There are also reports of heavy vibrations being felt in houses, with large cracks in the walls as evidence.

The residents live in fear that at any given moment their lives can be threatened by an explosion. Regular letters, requests and appeals to the EMA for assistance is either not responded to or ineffectively dealt with. What have these innocent law abiding Point Fortin people done to deserve this attack on their peaceful existence? Absolutely nothing! The EMA must be blamed because they legalised this onslaught against the people of Point Fortin by giving approval without proper investigation. The EMA must not grant any Certificate of Environmental Clearance for Train IV until these issues are resolved. Clearly, the Point Fortin people and their environment are taking a relentless but totally undeserving beating, from what is now described by the same ‘caring’ PNM as economic progress 2020 style. In any event the residents were there first, living peacefully with absolutely no threat to their lives, enjoying their property and their pollution free environment. Residing safely out of Point Fortin, the PNM’s top leadership and the owners and managers of the ALNG plant, are not subject to the nightmare they are imposing on Point Fortin people. Therefore, they could not care less about the crying need for urgent redress. While it is convenient now for the Government to turn a blind eye to the situation, it is grossly unfair to deny the Point Fortin people their basic rights. Their right to enjoyment of property and their environment continues to be violated with impunity. The revenue the multinationals derive from our natural gas must never be at the expense of the health, lives, limbs and livelihood of the Point Fortin people. Instead, ALNG should commit a substantial amount of that revenue to repair the damages resulting from Trains I, II and III and also for the development of Point Fortin. Why? Simply because, with ALNG’s operation in Point Fortin, it is the people’s community that is being destroyed and also they are being placed at risk.

Point Fortin people must come together not only for fete, wine and jam and Borough Day celebrations but they must stand up and demand that their critical issues are given the priority they rightly deserve. 1) The relocation, compensation and medical care for all affected residents. 2) Emergency response and evacuation procedures for the entire Point Fortin community. 3) Proper monitoring and air quality testing. 4) A general hospital with the much needed Burns Unit. 5) The complete restoration of the beaches and coastline. 6) A stadium with ultra modern sporting and recreational facilities. 7) A highway to Point Fortin. 8) The upgrade and paving of all the Field Roads. 9) A Technical Institute with the capacity for over 2500 students. 10) An agro and fish processing plant. These issues are crying desperately for urgent attention. The token handout by ALNG, BP and BG is an insult to the entire community. While these multinationals laugh all the way to their foreign banks, they are bombarding the entire country with an unprecedented level of “Green wash” Public Relations. Nevertheless, the people of Point Fortin must also accept blame for the continuing arrogance and disrespect to which they are subjected. The fact that ‘their party’ is now back in power provides no relief to the daily pressures they suffer as a result of ALNG’s operation within their community. They repeatedly make the fundamental mistake by confusing their support for party, with their lack of resolve to confront the real critical issues that seriously affect them. They must regain the true independent and fighting spirit of the past, with a commitment to struggle for what is rightfully theirs. The real power of the Point Fortin people will only be felt and respected, when they stand up and forcefully exercise it regardless of whichever party is in power. Until that happens, Atlantic LNG, BP, BG and the Government will continue to take them for granted, treating them with contempt and utter disrespect.

ANCEL  ROGET
President, OWTU Trinmar Branch