Fears over La Brea site unfounded

THE EDITOR: In 1985, when Mr Manning was the Energy Minister, the Chambers Administration proposed La Brea/Brighton as a site for the construction of an LNG project, Farmlands Ammonia Plant and Severn Trent operations. This area has the world’s largest asphalt resource and, as a result, the land in the area is described as “shifty and volatile.”

To the less discerning of us, who have driven through the area, the proposal of construction in this area would be questionable. However, after both local and foreign technical experts expressed their concerns the Atlantic LNG facility was eventually relocated to Point Fortin. Eight years later, in 1993, despite the earlier warnings, the Manning Administration made a proposal to the World Bank to again use the La Brea/Brighton areas as an Industrial Estate (Labidco).

According to the report the World Bank informed the Government of its reservations and wrote to the Planning Officer, Dr Lenny Saith, requesting more detailed geotechnical analysis of the site, to evaluate the bearing capacity of the subsoil and the likely behaviour of the foundations and structure. The Bank also requested further information on the process by which alternative sites to the LaBrea site were discharged. The NGC had budgeted TT$256 million to cap leaking wells and clean up the area. 

When the Manning Administration returned to office the development of the Labidco site took top priority. The recent agreement  to construct an Aluminum Plant would indicate that the World Bank’s concern was unfounded when they indicated that the laying of 56-inch pipe to transport natural gas from Guayaguayare would be a danger. There is also the question of earth tremors but fortunately for Trinidad these only occur in the north of the island.

The likelihood of the pipe line being fractured due to earth crust and natural shifting soil is very remote as the Government would have given particular attention to the safety of the citizens who would be employed on the site as well as those who inhabit the surrounding areas.

D BREAU
Cascade