Trinidad
and Tobago has
been endowed
with a wealth
of natural resources,
a gift from
God that has
been entrusted
to us, to be
managed responsibly
and used wisely,
for the benefit
of all, present
as well as future
generations.
In this connection
the Catholic
Commission for
Social Justice
wishes to refer
at the outset
to the following
statement which
forms part of
the Social Doctrine
of the Catholic
Church:
“The Magisterium has repeatedly emphasized that the Catholic Church is
in no way opposed to progress, rather she considers ‘science and technology
are a wonderful product of a God-given creativity since they have provided
us with wonderful possibilities, and we all gratefully benefit from them.’ ”
(Compendium
of the Social
Doctrine of
the Church,
#457)
However the
Social Doctrine
of the Church
also affirms
that:
“Solutions to the ecological problem require that economic activity respect
the environment to a greater degree, reconciling the needs of economic development
with those of environmental protection.
Every economic
activity making
use of natural
resources must
also be concerned
with safeguarding
the environment….
An economy respectful of the environment will not have the maximizing of profits
as its only objective, because environmental protection cannot be assured solely
on the basis of financial calculations of costs and benefits.
The environment
is one of those
goods that cannot
be adequately
safeguarded
or promoted
by market forces.”
(Compendium
of the Social
Doctrine of
the Church,
#470)
Responsible
management requires
that decisions
be taken on
the basis of
an informed
and balanced
examination
of anticipated
benefits and
risks.
The proposal
to construct
two aluminum
smelters in
La Brea and
in the south
west peninsula
of Trinidad
and Tobago is
based on a range
of possible
benefits which
include the
following:
-
Income and
revenue generation
through the
exploitation
of an abundant
supply of
natural gas;
-
Employment
creation;
-
The establishment
of downstream
industries
providing
additional
income and
employment;
-
Benefits
to surrounding
communities.
However serious
concerns have
also been raised
relating to
and including:
-
The displacement
and dislocation
of residents
of the area,
with the Union
Village relocation
still pending
since 2004;
-
Dangers
to human health
and safety
and to the
environment
through harmful
emissions
and the generation
of hazardous
wastes;
-
Occupational
health and
safety hazards;
-
Loss of
bio-diversity,
including
species of
plants and
animals unique
to the designated
area.
There is unquestionable
value likely
to accrue from
the exploitation
of Trinidad
and Tobago’s
natural gas
resources as
a means of income
generation and
employment creation
for the common
good.
However
attention also
needs to be
paid to the
hidden costs
of obtaining
these benefits,
the cost, for
instance, of
the accelerated
depletion of
a non-renewable
natural resource,
as well as the
cost of concessionary
gas pricing
when calculated
as possible
revenue forgone. More
information
is needed on
all aspects
of this equation.
In order to
arrive at a
proper assessment
of likely benefits,
it is important
to obtain information
on approximate
numbers of temporary
as well as permanent
jobs to be created
through the
construction
and operation
of the proposed
smelters and
associated downstream
industries.
Similar concrete
information
and commitments
should also
be provided
to substantiate
the claim that
the proposed
industrialization
of the south
western region
will bring material
benefits and
improvements
to the communities
who reside in
the area.
The basic question
needs to be
asked – will
the proposed
development
of the area
improve the
lives of the
people of the
area? We
have heard the
cries of pain
and injury coming
from the residents. The
people of the
area have a
right to be
heard.
They
have a right
to be consulted
and informed. If
their lives
and livelihoods
are threatened
their concerns
must be heeded. They
have a right
to be treated
with dignity,
with fairness
and with justice. The
residents of
Union Village
have a right
to a just relocation,
with choices
of decent housing
offered in an
environment
conducive to
vegetable gardens
and farming,
in which they
were previously
engaged. They
also have a
right to restitution
and reparation
for the losses
they have been
forced to incur.
There is significant
evidence of
very serious
threats of pollution
of the air,
water and soil
of the surrounding
environment,
as well as adverse
health impacts
for the workers
and inhabitants
of the area,
as a consequence
of the operation
of the proposed
smelters.
Given
the health risks
that are involved,
including recent
information
concerning the
risk of multiple
chemical sensitivity
syndrome, there
is a clear and
urgent need
for a full health
impact assessment
of this major
new industrial
development
that is planned
for the country.
No definite
answers have
been forthcoming
in relation
to the disposal
of the hazardous
and toxic wastes
that will result
from the operation
of the smelters.
It
must be emphasized
that there are
no dedicated
hazardous waste
disposal sites
in Trinidad
and Tobago and
the Catholic
Commission for
Social Justice
is not aware
of plans to
develop any
such sites here.
Transfer
of hazardous
wastes from
Trinidad for
disposal elsewhere
is also likely
to be prohibited
by the Basel
Convention,
to which Trinidad
and Tobago is
a signatory.
Here it must
be added that
industry self
regulation will
not guarantee
safety and health. What
Trinidad and
Tobago needs
is the necessary
legislative
and regulatory
framework that
will provide
for the health
and safety of
both workers
and the broader
community, as
well as the
protection of
the environment.
Such
a framework
must include
provisions for
empowered, expert
independent
external monitoring
to check compliance
and ensure enforcement.
Pope
John Paul II,
in his message
for the 1990
World Day of
Peace stated
as follows:
“The State should actively endeavour within its own territory to prevent
destruction of the atmosphere and biosphere, by careful monitoring…and
ensuring that its citizens are not exposed to dangerous pollutants or toxic
wastes.”
The proposal
to construct
two aluminum
smelters in
the south west
of Trinidad
and Tobago raises
serious concerns
relating to
human health
and safety and
the safeguarding
of our environment. These
concerns go
to the heart
of our basic
system of values.
Trinidad
and Tobago deserves
to have these
concerns and
questions properly
addressed and
resolved as
part of the
national decision
making process.
In an address
to participants
in a convention
on ‘The
Environment
and Health’ in
March 1997,
Pope John Paul
II said:
“The modern era has witnessed man’s growing capacity for transformative
intervention. The aspect of the conquest and exploitation of resources
has become predominant and invasive, and today it has even reached the point
of threatening the environment’s hospitable aspect: the environment
as ‘resource’ risks threatening the environment as ‘home’. Because
of the powerful means of transformation
offered by technological
civilization,
it sometimes
seems that the
balance between
man and the
environment
has reached
a critical point.”
At this critical
juncture, in
the light of
the many unresolved
issues requiring
further investigation
and decision
making in the
context of the
greater good,
the Catholic
Commission for
Social Justice
cannot at this
time support
the present
plans for the
construction
of two aluminum
smelters in
La Brea and
the south west
peninsula of
Trinidad and
Tobago.
In closing
the Commission
wishes to cite
the following
from the Social
Doctrine of
the Church:
“Serious ecological problems call for an effective change of mentality
leading to the adoption of new lifestyles, in which the quest for truth, beauty,
goodness and communion with others for the sake of the common good are the
factors that determine consumer choices, savings and investments…..There
is a need to break with the logic of mere consumption and promote forms of
agriculture and industrial production that respect the order of creation and
satisfy the basic human needs of all.”
(Compendium
of the Social
Doctrine of
the Church,
#486)
FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION
CALL FR. MICHAEL
MOSES, CHAIR,
CCSJ AT 622-6680. |
