BY RALPH BANWARIE Thursday, November 5 2009

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The quarrying business has shown increased growth over the past five years as a direct result of the Government’s initiative, Energy Minister Conrad Enill said.

To support this, he said his Ministry has renewed 22 quarry licences for a five-year period as well as 14 five-year licences for operators on private lands.

Enill comments came during his address at the Quarry Association of Trinidad and Tobago (QATT) annual Christmas award ceremony at Centre of Excellence, Macoya.

But Quarry Association president Ramdeo Dan Persad told members that Government’s plan to establish a quarry in Dominica, to supply aggregate for projects here could impact negatively on the local industry.

Persad was speaking at the association’s award ceremony at the Centre of Excellence, Macoya, on Saturday.

Persad said the proposal of setting up a quarry in Dominica, announced by Finance Minister Karen Nunez-Tesheira in the 2010 National Budget, was no longer relevant.

Persad said the justification for imported aggregate was no longer relevant, since the quarry industry was developed enough to meet projected demands.

Persad said during the last two years, local quarry operators invested heavily in capital stock, fixed and mobile equipment, plant infrastructure upgrade and was heavily indebted to local banks as a result of this re-tooling exercise.

He said because of the economic downturn, a large number of quarries were operating well below their respective operating capacities. And if Government decided to go ahead with its Dominica plan, the quarry industry in Trinidad and Tobago could suffer.

Persad said QATT has suggested to the Government that a financially feasible option would be to implement management efficiency and effective production capacity increases from 20 percent to 90 percent at Studley Park.

This, he added, will result in enhanced foreign exchange savings for the economy.

Persad also called on Government to provide more information on the status of the new quarries legislation; the issue of royalty, performance and restoration bonds on privately owned lands; use of locally produced aggregate on State projects; requests for assistance to repair quarry roads; illegal quarrying and training.

Persad also said Government’s recent announcement to develop a national network of highways at a cost of $19 billion, was welcomed by the association, but he expressed the hope that local quarries will be approached to assist.

He guaranteed that the local industry was capable of delivering the material required for the project.

Enill promised to continue to evaluate the needs of the industry and allocate resources on a required basis. His ministry has also proposed to conduct a nationwide strategic impact assessment study to identify the impact on quarrying on the environment.

On the new quarrying legislation, the minister said recommendations will soon go before Cabinet..

Enill said that the Government has a responsibility to manage the quarry industry and assured that the industry will be consulted on issues affecting them.

“Your business like many others must deal with the many risks and challenges that exist, as a consequence of the growth and development of Trinidad and Tobago,” he said.

He added that the Government will continue to support the industry which has a role to play in the country’s wider economic development.