DEAR EDITOR: Mr Wade Hughes' editorial letter in the press of Friday, March 31 entitled “Full information flow from Alcoa” is an attempt to portray Alcoa as a reasonable, beneficent and concerned multinational company.

Such a portrayal, in the eyes of Cedrosians, is both presumptuous and premature. The issues which we have raised and those which we still have to raise, in our estimation, can best be aired in a public debate with adequate media coverage.

We have, time and again, intimated this to the Alcoa team. Cedros Peninsula United and the other affiliated groups have taken this as a policy decision. We want the nation to hear what we are saying and what we are being told.

We do not think that we have anything to hide. This is merely a prudent safeguard, which will prevent our utterances from being manipulated on Alcoa's website. This is a reasonable position.

Such a public debate could clear the air on some matters in which the full information flow has been obstructed, viz
(1) the price at which natural gas will be supplied
(2) a clear unequivocal answer on the disposal of spent pot linings,
(3) why would such a caring company like Alcoa build its aluminum smelter on top of an aquifer which supplies drinking water to thousands of residents in the southern peninsula?
(4) how does one justify the building of one of the largest smelters in the world in a country with a population of about 213 persons per sq mile?
(5) how, in good conscience (if it exists) can a company choose what is probably the healthiest environment in a polluted island, to pollute it with a constant flow of harmful emissions?
(6) why would you expect us to believe that a company which has been charged for very many environmental violations overseas would suddenly become “green” in our context?
(7) Why do you continue to accuse us of using “old” information when we are in possession of the latest information available?

These are a few of the issues we would like to have cleared in a public setting.

N.B. We are correcting a bit of wrong information at the same time. The Alcoa site does not require the removal of churches and places of worship.

The proposed Chatham Industrial Estate, sneaked in on us by the NEC on the other side of the main road, is the culprit in this regard. We are against the smelter but we cannot make you bear the blame for the wrongdoing of others.

Fr Wilfred John, Cedros Peninsula United

DEAR EDITOR: As I read the Express front page headline, March 29, – “Boy 6 buggered with cane stalk, killed” – I thought to myself, I must have seen wrong.

As I read, my insides began to shake, my eyes becoming teary and the most awful feeling of fear and horror overwhelmed me. My first thought was “How could someone do this?”

This question ran through my mind repeatedly until I could no longer sit at my desk and function. I proceeded to the ladies, locked the door behind and began to cry. “Oh my God, how could you make this happen? Where were you when this evil was being inflicted upon your little one?

Holy Mary, mother of God, a mother who knows the pain of a child, where were you?”

I was so confused and heart-broken that the God I know and trust, the God who I turn to for protection and guidance for my own children and family saw this happen, and did nothing. I was so terribly hurt I cried and cried.

Then I became angry, so angry and furious at my Lord and I cried and cried again. Then I remembered I had to go back to work, though I was absolutely in no frame of mind to do so.

As I tried to now keep back the tears, cool down and pull myself together, I believe the Holy Spirit came to minister to me and I began to ask new questions. “Why was I being angry at God? Why was I blaming Him?”

It was then I realised the one I should be angry and furious with is the evil one himself, Satan. It is because of him and his evil slaves that our children and our beautiful land is plagued with so much immorality and crime and it is in Satan's face I should throw this anger.

But much more than that, it is in Satan's face I plead the Blood of Jesus for our children and our nation and it is in this very Blood we have the power and victory over the evil one.

Satan hates the Blood of Jesus. He despises it for it makes him weak. He loses his footing as his world rocks at the power and glory that is in our Lord Jesus.

And so my thoughts began to focus on this victory and the same God and Lord I was angry with a few moments ago, I now began to praise and pray to.

Praying for little Sean Luke, that his body would be made whole in Jesus, praying that the heavens now have an additional angel, and pleading to God to please send His Holy Spirit to comfort Sean's mother and his family.

I am a mother and I can truly say that I do not know how I would have coped in such a situation. I pray, like so many of us do, that I will never have to.

But what I pray most is that this child's death will not go in vain.

That everyone who reads this horrific headline will allow their hearts to be pierced by the Holy Spirit and truly realise and admit the evil that is plaguing our nation and begin to pray even more for our land.

Satan is having a field day in T&T and it is time for us to rebuke him in the Name of Jesus and cast him out from our thoughts, lives and country.

I want each person who reads this to please take a few moments and meditate on Eph 6:12 – “ It is not against human enemies that we have to struggle, but against the sovereignties and powers who originate the darkness in this world, the spiritual army of evil.”

Let us also pray, and pray without ceasing together as a family, Church, community and as a nation in the Blood of Jesus so that the very depths of our souls and God's Holy Spirit within us will come alive and grant us the grace, strength and power to rebuke Satan and his evil workers from our lives and our nation.

We can do this, each and every one of us. Remember, we have the victory and the power in the Name of Jesus. May God be with us all and with our families. I thank you Holy Spirit for opening my eyes to the truth.

A Hopeful Christian via e-mail