LOSS OF VESSIGNY BEACH Fact Sheet distributed by La Brea Concerned Citizens United

DON’T BE FOOLED AGAIN – The Loss of Vessigny and other Beaches FACT!

Our MP, Mr Jefferys sent a flyer around saying that the beach would not be closed because of the ammonia nitrate plant is not being put down at Union.

1. Here is the fact TAKEN FROM Alutrint’s own documents:
In the Annexes of the Social Impact Assessment for the Aluminium Smelter Complex prepared by Foster Solutions for Sustainable Ecosystem Development Ltd are a series of discussions between Government Agencies where the following is recorded:

[29th August, 2005, with Fisheries Division, Ministry of Food Production, Land and Marine Resources and Consultants]: “Dr. Khan stated that access to the beach adjacent to the industries would be restricted for security reasons. The restricted regions would include a 5km radius from the port and 1km off turning basin... Dr. Khan asked the Fisheries Division if they thought they would be any benefits from the development of the estates... Ms. Forte responded “there are major social impacts such as the loss of the beach”
5km on either side of the Port includes Vessigny Beach , Union Beach, Vance River and some of Guapo Beach. Up the other way it includes from Station Beach all the way up to Point Sabble.

BACK IN 2005 WHEN THEY HELD THE SO CALLED CONSULTATIONS WITH US, THEY KNEW VESSIGNY BEACH WOULD HAVE TO BE CLOSED AND THEY NEVER TOLD US. HERE ARE THE FACTS:

[24th August, 2005, MEETING with Institute of Marine Affairs (IMA), NEC and Consultants]: “Dr. Rocke made reference to the destruction of the Clifton Hill Beach and asked if a similar occurrence should be expected at Vessigny Beach. Dr. Khan stated that access to the beach would be restricted and that NEC intends to develop a recreational site in the region”.
Dr. Khan asked the IMA if they though the Union Industrial Estate would be beneficial to the people of the region. They stated that “this would be at the cost of the loss of some of their sources of recreation, for instance the Vessigny Beach”.

[20th September, 2005, with Forestry Division, NEC and Consultants]: Dr. Khan stated...that they also intend to develop the Vessigny Dam to develop it into a recreational facility to compensate for the loss of the beach. Mr. Ramnarine inquired about any loss of beaches. Dr. Khan explained that access to the Vessigny Beach would eventually be cut off and that the extension of Brighton Port would most likely result in loss of the other nearby beach. Dr. Khan stated that it was NEC’s intention to upgrade the Vessigny Dam in order to compensate for these losses.

Mr Ramnarine said that Trinidad is a beach bathing country and that the government taking this away from the people could cause them to become bitter. Dr. Khan stated that this had already taken place.”

We got fooled then. Are we going to allow ourselves to be fooled again?
This smelter is not here because they care about us.
It is here because they do not care about us.

We lost our forest, our gardens, our bees, and our fruit trees. Many of our children are sick from dust and many of us are sick from dust. Many of our houses are cracking and breaking up from and they haven’t even started building the smelter!
We have to give up our beaches too!

Why are they hiding the truth about the beach? Could it be that they are waiting for the smelter to be built first thinking we would not be able to stop it then?

GET THE FACTS. STAND UP FOR YOURSELF AND YOUR FAMILY.
COME OUT AND JOIN OTHER VILLAGERS TO STAND UP TOGETHER.
EITHER THE SMELTER GOES AND RESIDENTS GET REGULARISED OR WE ALL GET RELOCATED

For more information come out to Meetings
Together We Will !!!