By Invera Arjoon Tuesday, September 1 2009

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No to smelter: From left, Dr Peter Wine, Tabaquite MP Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj, Vessigny villager, Mc Kessie Jones and Wayne Kublalsingh during a press...

Tabaquite MP Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj has deemed works being done at various aluminium smelter support plants as “illegal”.

Maharaj, at a press conference held at his Irving Street, San Fernando office on Sunday, said after a visit to the proposed aluminium smelter site last Thursday, he had determined that works were proceeding despite a court order which declared the certificate of clearance (CEC) granted by the Environmental Management Authority to Alutrint unlawful, null and void.

“Works were being done on the power plant, the port facility and the gas pipeline, all of which are support plants for the smelter,” said Maharaj. A letter will be sent to all concerned parties including the Attorney General (AG), and unless the works are stopped within 24 hours of the date of the letter, Maharaj said he will have no alternative but to draw the actions of Alutrint to the attention of the courts.

He accused Alutrint of “condemning and subverting the order of the court” saying that once a matter is before the courts then works should not be done to pre-judge the order of the court.

The former AG said Alutrint has filed an affidavit in the Court of Appeal stating that US$541 million has been so far expended on the smelter project and it is too late to stop it now.

However, he said if Alutrint decided to spend money “it was at their own risk.” Maharaj said he would be leaving for London soon to meet with a team of lawyers who are assisting with this issue and action may be taken by this Friday.

“They also intend to do something which they did not want to do before.. claim damages on behalf of the affected residents and members on the public “since people are suffering from torture and anxiety,” he said.

Physicist and activist Dr Peter Vine said he saw a lot of work being done including new gravel roads, piles of aggregate, Chinese workers driving around in heavy equipment, piles at the power plant being driven into the ground, turbines, gas pipelines on the southern end of the plant and a lot of work at the temporary camp. University of the West Indies lecturer Wayne Kublalsingh said despite many calls to the Government to provide the rationale as to how the smelter can be economically viable to the country, they have yet to receive a response.

Vessigny villager McKessie Jones said there are more viable types of industrialisation which would better benefit everyone in the country.

“Why don’t we build a processing plant? Our natural gas would be exhausted. We need to look to alternative methods of energy industries such as construction and maintenance of solar panel cells. Let’s have development that will not benefit a few but all,” he said.