Young: Studley Park materials needed locally

A truck offloads material at the Nordberg Crushing Plant at the Studley Park Quarry on the Windward Road, Tobago. FILE PHOTO -

Port-of-Spain North/St Ann's West MP Stuart Young has labelled the recent award of an export licence to Studley Park Enterprises Ltd by Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar as “political gimmickry”.

At a media conference at the Opposition Leader’s Office in Port of Spain on November 6, Young denied the previous administration was spiteful in its decision not to grant the THA the licence.

Young said aggregate from Studley Park was used in a number of local projects, including the Diego Martin Interchange. He said the local demand for the high-grade materials at Studley Park was higher than the quarry could provide.

“The former PNM central government worked very hard with the THA to always ensure it was allowed to produce aggregate at the Studley Park quarry and that is because that aggregate is needed,” Young said.

“There is such huge local demand for this particular aggregate that is not being satisfied, no matter how much you ask Studley Park to produce it.

“Why would we use and prioritise the use of our limited foreign exchange to import aggregate when it can be produced right here in Tobago at Studley Park and hopefully in other areas in Trinidad.”

Young said when the needs could not be met, the then government reluctantly decided to allow aggregate to be imported, but NIDCO came to Cabinet saying contractors wanted the government to supply the forex to purchase it.

Young said the PNM central government supported Studley Park to increase production.

With the export licence now granted, he questioned what it could mean for roadworks across the country as local contractors will now have to compete with international demands, worsening the current forex challenges.

Young noted former Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley and former Works Minister Rohan Sinanan tried to visit the quarry but was prevent from doing so.

Young questioned what impact the export licence would have on the cost of road rehabilitation and construction in TT.

Persad-Bissessar presented Chief Secretary Farley Augustine with the export licence during a special THA sitting at the Assembly Legislature in Scarborough on November 4.

She said the licence will allow Studley Park’s management to market its aggregate regionally and provide opportunities to generate some much-needed foreign exchange.

Persad-Bissessar said the export licence for Studley Park was one area where the island could help chart its own destiny.

“I am happy that my government, in just six months, can deliver something that you have long waited for,” she said.

“This is something that will give you the means to make money. This will give you the means to earn foreign exchange and, therefore, they can’t say, 'Poor-boy Tobago, come.'"