Work is continuing on lands adjacent to the Divali Nagar site, Chaguanas, despite contractors being served a notice of violation by the Environmental Management Authority (EMA).
Approximately 25 workers braved sun and rain yesterday at the site, even taking time to take a break under a tent.
In an interview at the site, one of the workers said the EMA was taking away work from the employees.
“The EMA can’t do nothing. Is 50 men working here and this will only continue. They taking away work from man. That’s the only thing they doing. They can’t stop this, more workers will come,” he said.
Another worker piped in: “Is all kind of things like banks and businesses coming here. The only problem the EMA complain about is dust.”
He later pointed to a water truck passing by which filtered water on the ground.
“Is real years I working and I work on real developments on the port and other places,” he said.
The developer was served a notice on Wednesday for unauthorised works on two stretches of land in Chaguanas and Oropouche.
On Wednesday, EMA officials conducted several site visits to make sure there were no breaches in regulations. However, a media release said a notice of violation was served once an infraction against the Environmental Management Authority (EMA) Act, Chapter 35:05, was identified.
“The violator has since responded to the EMA’s notice and is willing to meet with the authority to resolve this matter,” the release added.
The EMA said: “Any development works requiring approvals will be carefully scrutinised and violators must come into compliance in accordance with our environmental laws. “This matter will be thoroughly investigated and breaches to the EMA Act will result in the appropriate course of action being taken.”
Officials at the EMA’s communications department said the matter was a “sensitive and legal matter” and did not wish to disclose any other information. Attempts to contact attorney Roopchan Chadeesingh proved futile. Endeavour Holdings Limited, owners of property at Price Plaza, said they were not responsible for that parcel of land.
However, official at Endeavour Holdings Limited said Naipaul’s Extra Foods were the owners of the property. Officials at Naipaul’s Extra did not wish to answer when asked if they were owners of the property and claimed there were no one available for comment.
MORE INFO
The certificate of environmental clearance is a piece of legalisation generated from the Environmental Management Chapter 35:05.
The “rules” guides the assessment of small and large-scale development which may have both positive and negative environmental effects.
Chapter 35:05 covers the protection of natural resources, pollution, hazard materials, substances, air and noise pollution, water pollution, wastes, hazardous substances and spills.