Trinidad and Tobago, for years we boast of our God given land, our Eden (Paradise). Our country has been richly blessed with its beautiful flora and fauna, our natural flow ecology systems and marine resources.

We also boast of natural reserves, which make us one of the wealthiest Third World countries. In recent times we have been able to distribute vast sums of money to other countries and their causes. We have also seen the appropriation of huge sums of money for not-so-worthy causes locally.

From this we can only assume that we are greatly self-sufficient. Then why do we need this type of industrial development in our beloved country?

We have, as ordered from God, dominion over all of this. We the people entrusted this legacy to a few men and women. Certainly it is not the will of our democratic nation to have our Mother (Nature) ravaged, raped and brutalised, her body dried of the very nutrients which she needs to nurture her young (our future).

In “Vision 2020” there is very little or nothing at all to enhance and improve our ecology. Just listen to the deafening silence agriculture is making in future planning. But we are protected, yes. In times of natural disasters or strife or war for those who are not protected but are producing, can we depend on them for supply?

Certainly not! Then why for a few dollars more must we allow foreign entities to destroy, rape and ravage this gift from God - our Mother (Nature)?

This demon in our midst is classified as progress. But will this progress establish peace, justice and better community relations? How will it help to conquer the evil that is causing crime and violence to be rampant in our country?

Many of our own brothers and sisters die every year of hunger and disease while the riches of our country treacle down to just a few. In our society today family life and moral values have broken down. The dignity that befits men and women is becoming insignificant.

Even our very young are being robbed of their dignity by unscrupulous adults (remember Sean, Amy and so many others). Yet who is showing that they care?

I ask you my brothers and sisters how can a “Smelter in the Park” be progress when we cannot live in peace and comfort? Is it progress when people are afraid to walk the streets at nights or even at daytime in some areas?

Yet our leaders are prepared to give away our wealth and sentence our Mother (Nature) to death. And of course we the voiceless will “pick up the tab” through increased rates and taxes—this is progress?

It is noticeable that today’s youths are bereft of smiles and adults are clueless about ways to help return their smiles. Through Mother Nature though, the beauty of the flowers and trees makes impressions within us that enhance serenity and stimulates smiles. Why should we encourage her destruction? Maybe this is just part of our sacrifice for progress. Is it worth it?

Why can’t we instead of a smelter, have animals of all description in the park, trees of all description bearing all different kinds of fruit to feed all different kinds of birds of the sky that will roost and nest in them? Why must the waterways, home to numerous species of fish and other creatures, be dried up?

And why must our children (our future) be deprived of this legacy in its reality? How many of us will be able to relate to them in story, how it was and how God meant it to be?

I ask you my fellow Trinbagonians. We must unite to save our MOTHER NATURE.

Anthony Beharrysingh
Catholic Commission for Social Justice,
St Charles, Tunapuna