Alcoa wants to talk

Alcoa will then host public meetings on the smelter project at the Chatham Youth Centre on August 23 and the St John’s Ambulance Hall in Port-of-Spain on August 24. Both of these meetings begin at 7.30 pm.

Prior to the 7.30 pm meeting in Chatham, there will be an open house session at the Chatham Youth Centre to give the public an opportunity to learn more about the project and the guidelines which it will follow during its construction and subsequent operational phase.

In a statement yesterday, Alcoa said the purpose of these meetings is to educate the public about the draft terms of reference which the Environmental Management Authority (EMA) has given to the company for the completion of an environmental impact assessment for the proposed site.

The EMA received an application from Alcoa for a certificate of environment clearance for the Cap-De-Ville site on May 15 and issued a draft terms of reference for the completion of an EIA on September 1.

Alcoa president (metals development) Randy Overby said the company is committed to the process of public review because it ensures extensive discussion on environmental, health, safety, social and community issues.

Recently, Overby denied claims from Independent Senator Mary King that Alcoa had been invited to attend a public hearing of the parliamentary joint select committee which she chairs at the Red House earlier this month. Officials from Alutrint attended that sitting to give an update on their company’s activities.

Residents of Chatham have also prevented surveyors hired by Alcoa from doing soil tests on the site.