Protect our Mangrove in Trinidad and Tobago

Below is a little bombshell sent by Rhea…

Tonight I am going to play an ace or let the proverbial cat out of the bag.

THE WORDS OF A FORMER PROJECT MANAGER OF THE ESSAR STEEL GROUP(TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO). HE WAS RESPONDING TO QUESTIONS I ASKED HIM.

Without meaning to detract you from your commendable efforts to keep Trinidad (a country and people, that my family and I grew to love, during our stay there) clean and pure, I would like to say the following about Essar:

1. I am not aware of any Essar operation in Brazil. This may be checked by going to their website www.essar.com. There is then a further link that takes you to Essar Steel. A full list of their operations worldwide would be available there.

2. They have an operation in Indonesia, which is relatively environmentally benign, as it is a cold rolling mill that merely re-rolls thicker steel bands into thin sheets.
(For pollution, you are probably referring to the——, who have large operations both in Indonesia and Brazil).

3. The Ruias of Essar are a different breed of young Indian entrepreneurs, with a wide vision, dynamism and a large-heartedness, hard to find in businessmen. They have generally taken excellent care of their workers and the communities around them. They have an impeccable record in India.

4. Having worked for both of them, I can assure you that Essar are completely unlike the more rapacious —– of ——, down the road at Point Lisas, who have paid scant regard to the environment/communities in Trinidad. Frankly, I feel quite ashamed, as a Person of Indian Origin, to see the devastation wrought by the ——. They have taken much from, but given little back to Trinidad.

5. It would be unfair to blame Essar for the proposed site. It was given to them by NEC and the Trinidad Government. Essar had no choice. It was a “fait accompli”, so to speak.

6. Personally, I would have preferred a site to the north of the Point Lisas Industrial Estate- north of the port and the big power plant (PowerGen or is it Tringen, I forget)- towards the Waterloo direction . This location was further from human habitation and less mangrove would have been destroyed.

7. I do feel the concern of the communities of Pranz Gardens, Claxton Bay, California, Savonella estate and others around, but I also feel deeply saddened about the hostility and antagonism towards Essar.

8.Coming as they do from a humble background, I sincerely feel that the Ruia brothers will go to great lengths to meet the concerns of the locals around them.

9. As I had said in a speech, over two years ago, before your Honorable Prime Minister, that Essar will surely strive to make the venture as much as possible—-

“A project by the Trinidadians, for the Trinidadians and of the Trinidadians”

I hope I have answered your doubts. Please feel free to ask any more questions.

With best wishes and all success in your efforts to keep your country clean.

THIS MAN SIGNED MY ONLINE PETITION. THIS MAN WAS THE PROJECT MANAGER FOR ESSAR STEEL IN TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO AND HE SIGNED MY PETITION. DOESN’T THAT SAY SOMETHING? THIS MAN IS NOT A TRINIDADIAN.