The aircraft was airborne, hidden amongst the gigantic white puffs; my vision was obscured by the billowing towers of fluffy white and grey masses of clouds. Then as the aircraft came out of the clouds what unfolded before my eyes was the southern coastline of my country, Trinidad, which seemed to be exploding with industrialisation.

The massive structures of these industrial plants contrasted greatly with what was left of the communities that were indigenous to this part of the country. Trinidad as was plain to see was in the midst of an industrial revolution.

Then I slumbered into a dream-like trance as I reminisced about how the area looked like before. I remembered family vacations to some of the beaches. I recalled awakening in the morning to the sounds of the gulls in symphony with the pounding surf and the sounds of other creatures, and I smiled.

I thought about the friendly nature of the people as they smiled and waved in greeting and welcome to visitors to their community. What love, what unity, what joy, what spirit of a people… and I smiled.

I recalled the lush green vegetation and forested areas which lined the roadways and also the trees waving their branches as we sped by; what about the occasional stops to allow some animal to cross the road and looking around to identify the source of a sound only to realise it came from the monkeys as they swung from tree to tree… and I smiled.

Oh how fortunate we are in Trinidad and Tobago! To think about Clifton Hill, Moruga, Quinam, Vessigny and oh – a wonder of the world our Pitch Lake. Oh the wonderful communities… and I smiled.

I remember the never-ending stretches of vast agricultural lands carpeted with rice paddies, sugar plantations, interrupted by citrus fields and coconut groves. What about the many waterways that brought relief to the thirsty land in the dry season and were home to various species of fish, among them our fabled cascadura, and also many other creatures… and I smiled.

Then I came out of my slumber and immediately the pangs of chagrin, of grief and fear brought me back to reality knowing that the future generations will never experience or be part of what or how Mother Nature looked like before she was destroyed.

 I imagined how the birds and other creatures felt as I had a bird’s eye view of the hundreds of acres of bare, naked earth that replaced the green vestments worn by Mother Earth when she was alive, and I felt pain.

Then I thought about the people; how they were happy before and how they are so angry now. How they never had reason to protest, even though they were denied or had no access to some of the modern innovations as other communities in other parts of the country had.

How they were unified as communities should be and now these poor people were being robbed and what is rightfully theirs is being taken from them and given away to rich foreigners without any consideration for their sentiments, emotions and well being… and I felt pain.

Then I thought about the contrast in policies with Venezuela where the government there is not so keen on foreign investment, one reason for this is that they have the Venezuelan people at heart.

Hugo Chavez knows that with foreign investments of this magnitude, the country’s natural resources and reserves will be depleted in less than half the time it would normally take. Probably in his vision he foresees Trinidad’s reserves being completely used up in ten tears time and he might be able to do business with us.

Who knows a deal may be struck for some of their gas and oil in return for our coastal territory or maybe even the Pitch Lake? And I wonder in pain.

Indeed there is evidence that the economy is growing. The cost of homes has tripled in recent times. Wages for various unskilled jobs have increased, so too the prices of food, alcohol and other basic necessities. Reasons such as these pertain to the difficulties encountered in poverty eradication and rising crime levels.

Unemployment, from 22% 20 years ago, is now down to seven per cent. This is fantastic and it is expected to decline even more. Just think about the importation of one thousand Chinese workers to operate the smelters, other foreigners to manage them and the freedom of movement amongst natives of Caricom countries via the CSME and you could picture the conversion of our natives from agriculturists and farmers, hunters and fisherfolk etc. to operators of bars and brothels and drug blocks, which will happen.

So too there will be employment, more so for our womenfolk as our mothers and daughters, aunties and nieces and our “nenens” will be lured into prostitution as most of these foreigners will seek this type of entertainment when they receive their wages. What else can be expected when they have no families or other acquaintances here. Wouldn’t this contribute to the moral decay of our country? I wonder and I hurt.

I beg you, my brothers and sisters of Trinidad and Tobago, wake up now and join in the big shout of NO to this type of development. I am sure that our Government in its Vision 2020 can see all of this, yet, how can our leader insist, “We know what we’re doing.”