An Aluminium Smelter in Otaheite Village? (Updated)

Updated: ...Plans for plant off Otaheite Village.
Alcoa. Aluminium. Smelter. Trinidad and Tobago. Everyone has been up in arms about these things, but I got a bit of the inside details through the EMA Conference this year. Feel free to take a look at the satellite image for that area. The area with lines like white hockey sticks is the cremation area.

It is, of course, unconscionable. Unfortunately, it is supposedly perfectly legal - the government has had development approval in many areas - and whichever area has the least political sway is where the smelters will end up. That area now appears to be in Otaheite Village - near [t:Mosquito Creek], the cremation area. Near the fisherman's village. And... near my land. So now I'm interested in a very direct manner, though... I know that I can have little effect. I know that the politicians for the Otaheite area are unlikely to stand up for the residents in the area - I know a few of them, and they know where their bread is buttered. I know that the land adjacent to the bridge on Mosquito Creek was bought from the Partap family - approximately 100 acres. I know that the land is in the process of being cleared, across the street from the Mosquito Creek cremation grounds.

I know that there will supposedly be a pier which extends 500m into the Gulf of Paria. I know that the area around Mosquito Creek is known for flooding. I know that the cremation area will have to move, and that a culturally significant spot will be destroyed in the name of Patrick Manning's version of progress; trading pollution for short term profits.

But what I also know is that there has been a lot of hints at development in that area. And I also know that this present administration and the faint attempts at a unified Opposition don't bode well for the area (much less the country). This affects Venezuala, too. I wonder what Hugo Chavez thinks.

I've been opposed to the smelter, but not very vocal because I didn't know the details of the regions involved - and also because it is a highly political issue, and I avoid politics. I also recognize it as developed nations exporting their pollution to the developing nations, and turning around to sell 'expertise' in dealing with pollution. The answer, of course, is to export it - just like they did.

It would appear that it has become necessary to become vocal.