Moontown

By Sue-Ann Wayow South Bureau

ENERGY Minister Carolyn Seepersad-Bachan confirmed yesterday Government had pulled the plug on the Alutrint aluminium smelter project at the La Brea Industrial Estate.

Speaking with members of the media, following a luncheon hosted by the Energy Chamber at Paria Suites in La Romaine yesterday, the minister said the People’s Partnership had no intention of continuing with the construction of the smelter plant.

Construction stalled last June after High Court Justice Mira Dean-Armorer ordered an injunction, based on a challenge from several environmental organisations, against the decision by the Environmental Management Authority (EMA) to grant a Certificate of Environmental Clearance (CEC) to Alutrint. The order was appealed and a judgment is pending.

In the meantime, work on a port facility and power plant, both in support of the smelter, has continued in La Brea.

Seepersad-Bachan’s People’s Partnership Government had promised during the general election campaign there would be no smelter.

Yesterday, she said: “As of May 24, all further construction…stopped.”

She said no jobs would be lost, and alternative measures would be put in place to accommodate any incurred losses.

She did not outline the measures or how soon they would be implemented.

Environmentalist and anti-smelter activist Dr Wayne Kublalsingh has welcomed the move.

“It was the logical and scientific thing to do,” he said yesterday.

He said there was enough time to look at and evaluate the facts concerning the smelter plants to realise it was not beneficial to this country’s economy.

He said the construction of smelter plants was not only uneconomical, but it was also an ecological disaster for the south peninsula, and it significantly impacted on human health.

Kublalsingh said there should be other ways in which the port at Labidco and the power plant at the Union Industrial Estate could be utilised. He also suggested the 5,000-plus workers involved in previous operations be transferred to these facilities. (Trinidad Express)

By —Camille Bethel

United National Congress (UNC) party chairman Jack Warner is preparing a report to submit to Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar when she returns from Jamaica–detailing the activities of two senior UNC politicians who encouraged rejected party candidates to run as independents in the July 26 Local Government election.

Warner first spoke about taking the senior officials before the party’s disciplinary committee during a meeting at Rienzi Complex, Couva, on Tuesday night, which the election candidates and rejected nominees were invited to.

Warner, who is acting as Prime Minister in the absence of Persad-Bissessar, said at the meeting that the six “UNC” nominees who filed as independents would pay with political price for their actions.

Yesterday, Warner told reporters he wanted people with the evidence of the internal meddling to bring the evidence to him.

He said, “I don’t want to go into details. Mrs Persad-Bissessar will be back next week and she would be given a full report.

“I don’t know all the evidence and I ask those who have the evidence to put it in writing, but I don’t have all the facts.”

Warner said despite some “ups and downs”, the People’s Partnership is intact.

He said 611 persons were interviewed for the Local Government elections and on Tuesday, 400 people came out to the meeting “to say thank you”.

“This only shows that the people want to participate and work,” Warner said. (Trinidad Express)

By Camille Bethel camille.bethel@trinidadexpress.com

Independent candidate Rajendra Gosine, who was rejected by the screening committee of his party, the United National Congress (UNC), said yesterday he was not intimidated by the threats of disciplinary action made by Acting Prime Minister Jack Warner.

On Tuesday, Warner met with rejected candidates at Rienzi Complex, Couva, where he denounced the actions of six rejected UNC candidates who filed nomination papers as independents.

Warner said he was told the “UNC” independents acted on the advice of two senior UNC officials, one a Member of Parliament.

Yesterday, however, Gosine said he was never encouraged by any MP to file as an independent, but by the people.

In fact, he said the MP in his area, Rudranath Indarsingh, “tried to talk me out of it up to Tuesday, but I told him no I would be disappointing the people if I stepped down”.

Gosine planned to launch his campaign to contest the California /Point Lisas seat at Dow Village California last evening.

He said, “I will not be intimidated by anyone. I am going full throttle ahead with it because I believe that I must finish what I have started. It does not matter who said what, I have a commitment to the people who I represent.”

Gosine said for the past 12 years he has been serving the people on the sidelines, after being rejected by the party on several occasions in his bid to be the elected representative.

“Ninety-five per cent of the people in the area are disenchanted with the (UNC) party’s choice.

“They feel their intelligence has been insulted,” Gosine said. (Trinidad Express)

By
Carolyn Kissoon
South Bureau

By Ria Taitt Political Editor

President George Maxwell Richards’ change of heart on the nominees to the Police Service Commission (PSC) has been welcomed by the Government. It has, however, caused serious concern with Opposition Leader Dr Keith Rowley, who yesterday spoke directly to Richards about his reservations. Rowley has also formally written to the President on the matter.

Yesterday, the President recalled a notification sent on June 25 to the House of Representatives, seeking its approval for the appointment of Christopher Thomas, Seunath Jairam, Jeewan Singh, Kenneth Parker and Jacqueline Cheeseman to the PSC. The President replaced this with a new notification, which proposed the appointment of former House speaker Nizam Mohammed, former Industrial Court judge Addison Khan, attorney Martin George, Kenneth Parker and Jacqueline Cheeseman.

Yesterday, Acting Prime Minister Jack Warner confirmed Government had submitted the names of persons to form the Police Service Commission to the President. The Government’s list included Mohammed, George, Khan and Cheeseman.

Under the Constitution Amendment Act, the President shall (must), after consultation with the Prime Minister and Leader of the Opposition, nominate persons who are qualified and experienced in the disciplines of law, finance, sociology or management to be appointed as members of the PSC. The President shall then issue a notification in respect of each person nominated, and it shall be subject to affirmative resolution (approval or rejection) of the House of Representatives. The President may, in his own discretion, appoint a chairman from among these members.

Informed sources yesterday said when the President sent the first notification to Parliament, the consultation between the President and the Prime Minister “had not yet ended, so it was really a bit premature”.

“The (original) names did not reflect the consultation between the Prime Minister and the President, so the process (of consultation) was restarted, and the President reopened the consultation process,” the source said.

It was after the completion of the consultation process the President recalled the original notification, proposing a new list reflecting the names proposed by the Government. Sources said it would be pointless for the President to “force on the House names which the majority in the House has already indicated to him they would not support. And so, he said to the Government, “Let’s talk again,” the source added.

“He entered into a negotiation process with the Prime Minister,” the source stated.

However, reliable sources said Rowley was not consulted in this new negotiation process. The names of Mohammed, George and Khan (proposed in the second notification) formed no part of the President’s consultation with Rowley, sources said, adding the Opposition Leader was not even aware the first notification was being substituted.

Contacted yesterday, all Rowley was prepared to say was: “The new list came to my attention from the Parliament this afternoon, and I was sufficiently concerned that I immediately communicated with the President. I spoke to him and I have since written to him, asking him to reconsider, and drawing to his attention my concerns surrounding this particular development.”

It is understood that one name, Parker (who survived both notifications), was recommended by Rowley.

The term of office of the PSC expired on June 30. Government sources said yesterday that to say Mohammed would be chairing the PSC was “premature” since that matter was entirely up to the President.

Sources said the President had the right to change his mind with respect to any notification, once it has not been formally laid in the House. The first notification was not laid. It was only given to Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, Government Leader Roodal Moonilal, Opposition Leader Rowley and Chief Whip Marlene McDonald…(Trinidad Express)

Livern Barrett, Gleaner Writer

The cost of Super Lotto tickets and the daunting reality that the game has not had a winner since its August 2009 start have pushed some lottery players to stick to the more popular Cash Pot.

Even with the chance to win a life-changing jackpot of $413 million, some lottery patrons contend that in the current economic climate, ticket prices of $150 and $250 are not worth the risk.

“Let’s say you play it two times fi the week, that’s $500. Next week, you try again, nuh $1,000 that you gone. Check up dat fi di month an’ see,” said Sophia McGregor, a mother of four who lives in the Corporate Area.

Better use of funds

“A better me use da money deh an’ pay fi me pickney dem school,” she said, adding that she has a daughter who is preparing for exams next year.

Another woman, who spoke on condition of anonymity, was even more cynical, questioning “why me a go spend $250 and me naw win nutten. Plus, me never see nobody win.”

“The money (jackpot) look nuff, but da game deh set a way … . It look like dem do it fi ketch people money,” she lamented.

The staggering multimillion-dollar jackpot is still available going into Friday night’s draw.

The game was introduced by Supreme Ventures Limited (SVL) on August 25 last year with a starter jackpot of $180 million.

The jackpot is increased based on sales each time there is no winner.

SVL officials would not respond to queries about Super Lotto ticket sales, but The Gleaner understands that the company is planning to introduce changes that will give players a better chance of winning.

From the outset, SVL had warned that the odds of winning the Super Lotto would be far greater than other games because it is played in seven other Caribbean countries.

In contrast, some lotto players said the Cash Pot game was cheaper and easier to win.

In fact, Douglas admitted that she has won several times.

“At least wid di Cash Pot you can spend $10 an’ you stand a chance fi get back something,” she reasoned.

“But wid the Super Lotto, it too dear and you nuh win nutten.” (Jamaica Gleaner)

livern.barrett@gleanerjm.com