Category: Aluminium Smelter

...The Smelter?

July 26, 2010 by Taran Rampersad

When Dr. Rowley, leader of the Opposition, starts asking questions about the proposed Aluminium Smelter, I scratch my head. There has been so much outcry in the past about it, whether  it be about the environment or the failure to provide jobs to residents in the area where the smelter itself is planned, enough so that it's likely that this was one of  the political failures of the People's National Movement (PNM) and the past leader of the PNM - Patrick Manning.

Thus it seems odd that the Leader of Opposition would attempt to use this as a platform. Nevermind that this was basically an UNC initiative that the PNM put in place, nevermind that it will allegedly provide jobs, nevermind that the former PNM based government never answered questions about its economic viability. It's the reversal that is interesting, the fact that though no answers were given by the PNM lead government - enough so where the former Prime Minister, Patrick Manning, is on record as saying something along the lines of, "we don't care what the people think".

But then, people do have a short attention span and can shore their own perspective with soap bubbles if necessary.

On the flip side, as I drove to MovieTown in Port of Spain on Saturday, I couldn't help but notice a piece of People's Partnership political detritus on a billboard - stating that they would stop the smelter and toss laptops from the Red House. Even as the media has done little to ask the hard questions about the government's laptop plan for SEA students, I also thank Dr. Rowley for pointing out that there was a political promise made regarding the smelter.

A promise that there hasn't been much public information shared on. {Read more}