TCL ponders relocation of affected residents

TRINDAD Cement Ltd (TCL) officials are exploring the possibility of relocating several residents living close to the Claxton Bay plant following reports of a dust problem.

TCL finance manager Parasram Heerah told Newsday: “We have been considering the relocation of persons, who are presently squatting on the train line, ever since the construction of the plant.” He said the residents were being offered the option of land or relocation money. With respect to complaints about dust from the plant, Heerah said it was proper company protocol to do an investigation and then compile a full comprehensive report. He said this in response to complaints from 65-year-old Leo Arneaud, who claimed dust from the plant was affecting his health and the health of his family, including four children aged between 14 years and 11 months.

Arneaud said the situation had become unbearable and was posing a health risk to his two grandchildren, and his nine-year-old daughter in the form of sinus and breathing problems. Arneaud also complained about his appliances not working properly, claiming that dust had gotten into the motors of several electronic appliances. “It is very hard financially when you have to keep sending the television, radio and other electronic appliances to service or repair because of the dust,” he said. “Not only that, with the children getting sick from the dust, it is costing a lot of money to send them to the doctor for medical attention — I am just a pensioner, I have no big set of money,” he complained.

Arneaud said all he wanted was compensation or some solution to the dust problem from TCL as soon as possible. TCL’s health and safety engineer Perry Bowen said he will  hold discussions with the human resource manager with respect to any sort of compensation package. Bowen also noted that investigations are in progress and once completed, action will be taken. Heerah noted that TCL had very good de-dusting equipment called kilns which captured the majority of the plant’s dust. “The short span of time in which the kilns come to a halt for the necessary maintenance, that is the time when the dust is exposed to the atmosphere and one just needs to understand that and reckon with it for the time being,” Heerah said.