Upsurge in illegal quarries

President of the Quarry Association of Trinidad and Tobago (QATT), Ramdeo “Dan” Persad, is complaining that while the Government has blocked quarry operators from access to State lands since 2000, it is planning to import half-million metric tonnes of aggregate.

He made the point to Minister of Planning and Development, Dr Keith Rowley, as the association held its installation of officers recently at Crowne Plaza. Persad said: “The National Quarries Company Limited (NQCL) is seeking permission to import 0.5 million metric tonnes of non-sparking aggregate for use on various projects, arguing that locally-produced aggregate is unable to meet specifications. We are amazed by this statement since during the boom period many high-specification projects like the Twin Towers, Riverside Plaza, the Hall of Justice and the Dr Eric Williams Medical Complex, were completed using 100 percent local aggregate”.

He warned: “The local industry employs about 15,000 persons directly and through downstream industries another 90,000, and the uncontrolled dumping of foreign aggregate in the market will have a devastating effect on the industry”. Persad urged QATT’s line-Ministry, the Ministry of Energy, to enforce its policy of only allowing the import of aggregate where it could not be supplied locally. Recalling that in 2002 QATT was advised that NQCL’s sand- and gravel-bearing land at Turure would be made available to private quarry operators, Persad asked whether these lands were still on offer and if so when would they be made available. “The association notes that no allocation of State lands for quarrying purposes has been made in the last three years. We request that serious consideration be given to the distribution of lands during 2003”.

Persad requested that QATT be included in the drafting of regulations for the Minerals Act 2000.” Persad complained: “QATT notes with great concern that within the last 15 months or so there has been a drastic escalation of illegal quarrying of State lands.  Such operations are affecting proper planning and supervision of the industry by the Ministry of Energy and Energy Industries and are the cause of serious environmental degradation. Frequently, legal operators are blamed for these illegal activities. The association hopes the Government will take the necessary steps to terminate such illegal operations”.