Stop Tax payer Financed Propaganda by State Corporations Start Dialogue on Alternative Industries

29th July, 2009

Alutrint and the National Energy Corporation’s (NEC) advertisement in the Express on Tuesday 28th July, in response to an article by Andy Johnson which appeared on 23rd July, titled “Alutrint on Trial”, can only be described as "tax payer financed propaganda".

All propaganda avoids truth and fact. To demonstrate this and in direct reference to Alutrint/NEC’s full page colour advertisement, we quote from the written “offer” dated 16th December, 2008, from ROW Services (retained by NEC to manage the relocation of residents within the buffer zone of the proposed Alutrint aluminium smelter) to residents of Square Deal as follows:

“NEC wishes to advise that though issues surrounding your compensation/relocation and the terms and conditions of your title…are yet to be finalized…we are pleased to offer you one (1) of the houses at the Pier Road site…Please note that this offer is valid only for five (5) days. The NEC reserves the right to rescind this offer for any reason. Please also note that all information regarding the terms and other matters contained in this letter shall be confidential and shall not in any manner be disclosed or otherwise divulged by you to any third party, person, firm, company or organization. We look forward to your prompt cooperation” (their emphasis).

This letter contradicts the stipulated ‘negotiated relocation’ of buffer zone residents. All families relocated so far have no legal title to the houses they occupy nor are their names on the water and utility bills. This is causing growing anxiety and has effectively silenced any housing complaints or opposition to the smelter from those already relocated.

One recipient of ROW’s letter, a Mr. Cornwall (named in Alutrint/NEC’s advertisement) responded the following day, as President, and on behalf of the Square Deal Development Committee, by writing to the NEC and Environmental Management Authority (EMA) “…we are not happy with the way things are going with relocation…it appears the NEC wants to bully us without understanding our concerns and issues…the request that the letter be kept confidential is also very worrisome…we are confused as to who is responsible for relocation”.

The traumatic conditions under which Mr. Cornwall accepted forced relocation into NEC’s new home for him has resulted in him becoming isolated from the community he left behind. This letter is a sample of NEC’s raw deal tactics for Square Deal residents. The EMA did not bother to get involved.

The NEC/Alutrint tax payer financed propaganda conveniently omits that the NEC shamefully lied to the surrounding communities in 2004 when it claimed to be bringing equipment to cap wells when NEC was about to began fast-track bulldozing of 900 acres of forest to make way for Union Industrial Estate. All forms of wildlife were slaughtered with impunity.
The NEC got permission for this destruction of community assets from the EMA. They were allowed to clear that land BEFORE applying to the EMA for permission to USE that land for aluminium smelting! This vulgar show of force against our defenseless communities by state corporations has not been forgotten by ‘bona fide’ residents. How can we now trust them now with the health of our families?

The NEC/Alutrint tax payer financed propaganda advertisement conveniently omits that in August and September2005, buried in the Annexes of the Social Impact Assessment and NEVER disclosed publicly in any of the so called “consultations” held by NEC, are notes on three separate meetings, with the Institute of Marine Affairs, the Forestry Division and the Fisheries Division, where a consultant hired by NEC stated clearly that Vessigny Beach would be “restricted for security reasons” including “a 5 km radius from the port and 1km off the turning basin” and “access to the Vessigny Beach would eventually be cut off and that the extension of the Brighton Port would most likely result in the loss of other nearby beaches”.

A representative of the forestry division present at one of these meetings said “Trinidad is a beach bathing country and that government taking this away from the people could cause them to become bitter”. The consultant conducting the meetings replied “this has already taken place”. No mention is made of “UAN plants”. The Brighton Port is presently under construction.

Alutrint/NEC’s advertisement claims that they will “continue to maintain direct contact with ‘bona fide’ residents in the ‘project affected communities’ to listen to their concerns and to assist them in their efforts to improve their livelihoods and standards of living”.

Alutrint/NEC’s claims of “direct contact” and “listening to bona fide residents” somehow prevented them and the EMA, from disclosing the February 2008 ‘Alutrint Aluminium Complex Medical Monitoring Plan’ which identifies 4,070 residents living within 2 km of the Buffer Zone to be tested routinely for cancer. Quoting from this Plan “Potential primary disease indications usually associated with aluminium smelters with pre-bake technology include: Industrial Asthma, Chronic pulmonary disease, Pulmonary Fibrosis and Lung and Bladder Cancer”.

It is therefore impossible for La Brea residents to interpret Alutrint/ NEC’s behavior to be a “commitment to Building the Community, Building the Nation”. We are fed up with the propaganda.

La Brea Concerned Citizens United comprises ‘bona fide’ residents of La Brea. We have developed an outline plan to restore a portion of Union Industrial Estate (UIE) and to introduce alternative industries there, ones that would not compromise the health of the some 9,000 residents that live within 4 km of the UIE.

Alutrint’s “trial” is over. The ‘project affected communities’ of Vance River, Vessigny, Union and Sobo have found them guilty of catastrophic planning, wanton destruction of the environment, deceit, community contempt, concealment of truth and conspiracy to cause further damage.
The economic neglect of La Brea over the last 30 years may have shrunk our pockets but it has not dulled our intellect nor destroyed our dignity. We say end the propaganda. Start meaningful dialogue with us towards community driven alternative industrial development.

La Brea Concerned Citizens United