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Don’t move Aluminum smelting to Trinidad

Michael A. Dingwall (michael_a_dingwall@hotmail.com)

Recently, plans were announced to start building aluminum smelting facilities in Trinidad and Tobago. Bauxite from Jamaica and Guyana would be shipped from Jamaica and Guyana and smelted in Trinidad. It is claimed that as Trinidad has the oil and natural gas required for the huge amounts of energy to smelt the alumina into aluminum, the smelting facilities should be built there. However, why should we be doing all the real economic activities in Trinidad? What about the rest of us?

This plan to start the smelting facilities in Trinidad is all part of a grand plan by the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) to create the Caribbean Single Market and Economy (CSME). In order to strengthen the economic strength of our Caribbean countries, we plan to create a single market and economy. From where I stand, it seems to be a grand plan to create a greater Trinidad and Tobago – at our expense.

In order to strengthen the economic strength of our Caribbean countries, we plan to create a single market and economy. From where I stand, it seems to be a grand plan to create a greater Trinidad and Tobago – at our expense

Take Guyana, for instance. Guyana is a very huge country, compared to other members of CARICOM. All the other members of CARICOM can easily be lost in that country. Guyana has many resources. Some of these resources are its rivers. Guyana has a very huge hydroelectric potential. Guyana also has vast reserves of Bauxite. Now, are you telling me that these resources are going to be allowed to go to waste, because everything must go to Trinidad? Jamaica also has huge reserves of Bauxite. The country is already producing Alumina. While it may be true that we are not producing energy in the quantities that would enable us to produce aluminum, is this totally beyond us?

It is claimed that producing the metal in Trinidad would be cheaper. However, which is cheaper – transporting bauxite from Jamaica and Guyana to Trinidad, where new bauxite and aluminum plants would have to be contrasted, or transporting oil and/or natural gas from Trinidad to Jamaica when bauxite and alumina plants already exists? Which is cheaper, building the power plants to produce the metal in Jamaica or to build the bauxite, alumina and aluminum plants in Trinidad?

Trinidad already has one of the highest standards of living in CARICOM. By contrasts, Jamaica and Guyana have tow of the lowest standards. The building of such plans in Jamaica would do much to improve living standards in Jamaica. More jobs and expertise would be created. The increased electricity capacity could be directed to more economic activities and we would achieve more economic diversification. How?

Aluminum can be used to produce body parts for all kinds of vehicles – from cars to trucks, from ships to plans and even some electrical appliances. Aluminum can also be used to make high voltage transmission lines. We may also be able to better develop our alumina industry. We can use alumina in the production of chemicals, detergents and even the making of paper.

I would strongly suggest that before we rush to make Trinidad richer at our expense, we should really consider what we are really doing. Jamaica is in a very deprived state. Our government is rushing to finalize this deal with Trinidad because it has no vision for an economically strong and prosperous Jamaica. Trinidad is already rich – we need to get rich too.

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