UNC deputy leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar has called on Prime Minister Patrick Manning to announce a moratorium on the aluminium smelter plants.

’As we conclude CHOGM and approach Copenhagen, I call on the Prime Minister to cleanse our image in the world community and demonstrate a commitment to emission reduction by announcing a moratorium on the planned aluminium smelter plants proliferation, pending further studies,’ Persad-Bissessar said at the UNC’s National Assembly at the Rienzi Complex in Couva yesterday.

Persad-Bissessar said she was in the process of formulating a post prosperity economic development plan which will respect the Kyoto Accord and the outcome of the upcoming Copenhagen talks, as well as global economic circumstances. She said there will be a review of all the energy intensive and capital intensive mega projects and consideration of appropriate modifications or alternatives as part of a diversification strategy.

She also used the opportunity to criticise Manning over the recently concluded Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) as well as the Fifth Summit of the Americas.

’His two back-to-back ostentatious and lavish summits have come and now practically gone and we are left with the promise of benefits, billions in debt and a Prime Ministerial inflated ego,’ she said.

She said Manning is not concerned with the pressing issue of climate change and slammed him for his defence of this country’s rank as one of the top ten polluters in the world.

’Mr Manning wants to use the basis of ’absolute emission’ or total emission instead of looking at our disproportionate rate of polluting the environment. This is like claim to a ’right to pollute’ on the part of Trinidad and Tobago. Mr Manning wants the advantage of masking our ugliness as a top ranking polluter and go unnoticed in the crowd,’ she said.