‘We want no smelter’

Standing on chairs and chanting, “We want no smelter plant” and “go back where you came from,” the residents jeered at Wade Hughes and Steve Myers, of ALCOA. Both men who are officials of ALCOA’s project team in Trinidad, held a meeting at the Chatham Youth Centre which was packed to capacity.

Introducing a draft terms of reference for the proposed smelter plant, Hughes immediately evoked the fury of residents when he announced that the Government of Trinidad and Tobago invited the US-based ALCOA to construct the plant in Chatham. Shouting at the top of their voices in the centre’s hall, the residents accused the Government of destroying the marine life in the area.

President of Chatham/Cap-de-Ville Environmental Protection Group, Fitzroy Beache, was vehement in his response, saying that the residents were not interested in reaching any agreement with Alcoa.

“By no means we are going to accept a smelter plant in the area. We are prepared to die to stop the construction of the plant,” Beache said.

President of the Cedros Peninsula United Group, Dr Raphael Sabastein, told Hughes and Myers that the Environmental Management Authority (EMA) had failed to furnish residents with answers to their concerns. “The information supplied to our questions has been inadequate,” Sebastien said.

Saying that ALCOA’s management has been mislead, Sebastien told the meeting that 95 percent of the residents do not want a smelter plant in the area. “The overwhelming view must be heard,” he thundered.

Huges told the residents that he had taken note of their concerns. He then announced that the residents have 28 days to put forward their concerns in writing to the company.