By Invera Arjoon Sunday, November 22 2009

Minister of Energy Conrad Enill yesterday said that a two day shut-down will not benefit this country.

In fact from a business perspective and reports coming out of the business community Enill said doing that will not assist in boosting productivity.

Addressing the media yesterday after the People’s National Movement General Council meeting, Enill said that better productivity gives citizens a better standard of living and therefore “what message are you sending when you do some thing that will not enhance productivity?”

Asked whether United States President Barack Obama will indeed be attending the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting(CHOGM) Enill said he has no information in it but can say that the Chinese President will not be attending. He said this CHOGM is turning out to be a lot more important than just the regular CHOGM meeting since it will be the last forum for world leaders to discuss the issue of climate change before the December meeting in Copenhagen.

Responding to a related issue in which activists and residents of Claxton Bay yesterday lit tyres and protested against the Essar Steel Plant and the destruction of the mangrove he said the Government has adopted a “no net loss policy.”

“Where we bulldoze or destroy in one area we replant in another so that while industrialisation must go on, a balance must also be struck.” Speaking to Sunday Newsday, president of the Claxton Bay Fishing Association Kishore Boodram said the residents want the National Energy Corporation to now follow on the heels of Essar Steel and leave the area alone.

“They are claiming they only want a track but if they have their way then our mangrove will be destroyed and we are not sure if the Environmental Management Authority(EMA) will grant permission to them as yet.If that happens then we will have nowhere to fish. With CHOGM just mere days away we want people to know what is happening.”

On Thursday activist Wayne Kublalsingh had to be removed from the International Financial Centre after demanding that Enill provided information on the financial viability of the smelter project.

Yesterday Enill said it was unfortunate that a group of people should choose to invade the centre to meet with him.

Rather Enill said they could have simply requested a meeting with him. He said Government has policies as it pertains to information on projects that Government has decided to move forward with.