Prakash
Saith president of the National Energy Corporation discusses
the NEC’s planned offshore industrial island planned
for Otaheite with past president of the South Trinidad Chamber
of Industry and Commerce
Bobby Montano during yesterday’s Energy Luncheon at
Cara Suites Hotel, St margaret’s village, Claxton Bay.
Photo :Rishi Ragoonath
Otaheite
update
Government will award contract next week for design
of artificial island
Government yet to get EMA approval
Anti-smelter group vows to continue protest action
BY
SASCHA WILSON
GOVERNMENT’s proposed artificial industrial island
off Otaheite will move closer to becoming a reality next
week when Government is expected to award a contract to
an international firm to begin designing the island.
Prakash Saith president of the National Energy Corporation
of T&T admitted, though, that the Environmental Management
Authority (EMA) is yet to grant approval for the project.
Addressing the issue of ALCOA building its aluminium smelter
plant on the island, Saith said Government is yet to make
a decision on that, as Government has not yet identified
any tenants for the island.
Saith was delivering the feature address at an energy luncheon,
hosted by the South Chamber of Industry and Commerce at
Cara Suites Hotel in St Margaret’s Village, Claxton
Bay.
He said that in November 2006, Government invited tenders
from top international firms around the world for the design
of the island. Tenders were closed in February and after
the contract is awarded next week, Government will be “proceeding
as quickly as it could with its plans.”
He also said that the NEC wanted to create the island on
a phased basis, he said the corporation expected the site
to be completed within four years of the approval being
granted by the EMA.
