French President Nicolas Sarkozy earned himself a lot of scorn at yesterday’s Panit 2 Planet meeting, a protest forum held by a coalition of environmental, agricultural and civic groups.
Held on the Piccadilly Greens in Port of Spain, Panit 2 Planet was meant to provide a people’s talk-shop to counter the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) being held at the Hyatt Regency hotel on Wrightson Road.
The event was assembled by many of the same groups behind Drummit 2 Summit, the forum that was meant to serve the same purpose earlier this year during the Fifth Summit of the Americas, held in April also at the Hyatt Regency.
At yesterday’s forum, it was clear that Sarkozy did not win himself friends with his support of the Trinidad and Tobago government’s plans to build two aluminium smelters.
’President Sarkozy is ’farse and out of place’ to come to our country and tell us to accept smelters,’ said Norris Deonarine, education and research officer of the National Food Crop Farmers Association (NFFA).
’We are sure that he cannot simply plant a smelter anywhere in France or in the middle of Paris, at his leisure. His statements are unacceptable.’
Deonarine said Government continues to frustrate the agricultural sector with not only a lack of support but through efforts to rob farmers of land and security.
He called for the enabling of local agriculture, saying that it was the patience and caring of farmers that has so far maintained food security in this country.
’When is the government going to recognise the importance of farmers?’ Deonarine asked. ’Priority and support are being given to all but the sustainable industries in this country.’
Similar remarks were made by speakers from the Congress of the People (COP), the Rights Action Group (RAG), the Claxton Bay Fishing Association, the Wallerfield Farmers Association and the National Joint Action Committee (NJAC).
Activist Clyde Weatherhead also criticised the government’s handling of the swine flu virus in T&T, saying that while ministers and government-related persons have received vaccination, women, children and the elderly were still waiting.
