Sweltering issue

 
Published: Wednesday 31 May 2006

Trinidad's capital recently witnessed a protest against a proposed aluminium smelter when about 200 people lit candles, sang hymns and marched through a park claiming the smelter will harm the area's environment.

"If we end up with just an industrialised island where you can't eat the food or breathe the air where will we be then?" questioned environmental lobbyist Petra Bridgemohan.

us -based Alcoa Inc has signed a preliminary deal with the government to own and operate a us $1.5-billion aluminium smelter in Cap-de-Ville in southwest Trinidad. The country's prime minister Patrick Manning favours the deal and earlier this month said Alcoa's modern technology would keep emissions of fluorides and other pollutants at safe levels for people and wildlife and also help boost the country's economy.

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