Point Lisas Industrial Estate: Kristal Maharaj
Point Lisas located in the south
western coast of Trinidad has traditionally been an agro-based town in the
early days. However with the discovery of oil fields in the southern part of the
island, Point Lisas was visioned as the country’s determination to set up an
industrial venture based on petrochemicals. Industries of various kinds came
into existence on the estate. They included iron and steel, fertilizer, urea, ethanol
among others that according to Maria Teresa (2012:45) “reflected the onset of
rapid modernization and urban behaviour patterns to the south.” where the town’s
agrarian roots were replaced by metal tanks and flames.
Although
industrial development and Point Lisas industrial estate in particular has played
an important role in Trinidad and Tobago’s
economic growth, it has brought along with it major environmental problems
ranging from water pollution to air
pollution. Trinidad’s west coast is the
environmental stressed coastal area where 88% of the population live and 93%
are employed. Prior to the construction of the estate marginal sugar cane lands
and mangrove dominated the area. Due to
unplanned industrialization, inadequate sewerage facilities, uncontrolled waste
disposal and inefficient control measures major cases of contamination and environmental
degradation have resulted. There is the issue of declining fish stocks due to
oil spills, the abandonment of the shell fish trade, health problems suffered
by residents due to dust pollution, noise pollution from the operation of the
plants and other irreversible environmental damage as a consequence of the
radical change brought about by industrialization.
This industrialization process and its effects
reminds us somewhat of William Wordsworth’s poem “The World is too Much with us”
Wordsworth was an 18 century poet who experienced the industrial boom. His lifestyle
was based on the natural environment where he found peace and beauty in nature.
He also observed the effects of industrialization on the environment and wished
for a utopia; that the world would go back in time when people praise the
natural elements and were not trapped in the walls of industrialization and the
habit of consumerism.
Kristal.
References:
·
Maria Teresa Castilho, “The Southern Agrarians
and Utopia,” (2012:45).
·
Gillian Cambers, “Point Lisas-A Case Study,”
December, 1999.
Great photo and beautifully written entry. I love the addition of Wordsworth. Have any of our own poets talked like this?
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