DEAR EDITOR: Cancer is not the only disease associated with pollution from heavy industry like metal smeltering.

Many other  life-debilitating diseases are implicated, not as yet visibly present in Trinidad and Tobago, like, organ diseases, immunity deficiency diseases, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's’ multiple sclerosis, Down’s syndrome, infertility, Crohn’s, Lou Gehring’s etc.

These may develop directly in individuals exposed. They may also be transferred congenitally through generations, or, exposure may cause succeeding generations to be more disposed.

Included among inherited diseases would be physical deformity and those allergies that cause death during the first 15 minutes of the reaction.

 A family can be afflicted in one or more of its members, with one or more of these diseases, at the same time. Spills of industrial poisons can be detected and stopped quickly but leaks can go on for a long periods before detection.

What escapes comprises singular poisons and mixture of poisons. Deliberate releases of wastes at set or varying intervals levels and combinations, has been practised with and without accountability. In any case, clean-up is not possible. The poisoning continues to do damage.

 It could be that a part of the local labour movement has already decided itself on accepting the risks in exchange for extra benefits. Do the workers represented really understand what they are being sold to do?

Perhaps the Government’s intention is to step up abortions for disease uncovered before or at birth. If this reflects what is happening or will happen, it shows how the Government will operate selectively, at any given time, with those willing to yield consent for pay.

The issue is so much more than “availability of information” and franker “public consultation”.
E. Galy
Frederick Street
P.O.S.