The Challenges Facing Society
Funding
The main challenge is the availability of funding to oppose decisions both through the public
education and mobilization process and in the Courts. Non-Governmental Organizations are
faced with the constant problems involving insufficient funding and lack of public awareness.
Unfortunately, satisfying this need through corporate funding may lead to weakened ability of
the NGO to pursue environmental advocacy fearlessly. Essentially, environmental group
membership still tends to be limited, especially for groups willing to challenge the State through
litigation. ‘Smelta Karavan’, an NGO formed to oppose the construction of aluminium smelters
in Trinidad and Tobago, has its mandate compelled by a few individuals. This outlook in
Trinidad and Tobago is normative, since there is a general lack of involvement in environmental
issues. This translates into an unwillingness to contribute financially to public interest
environmental litigation. While in developed countries groups such as Friends of the Earth and
Greenpeace are often in a position to attract continuous funding at all levels of society, this is not
the case in the Trinidad and Tobago.
Limited Technical Expertise
In order for NGOs to achieve subst antial public participation, their ability to effectively
communicate their standpoint and rationalization processes to the wider public depends on their
attainment of fundamental resources such as technical and scientific information. This serves as
justification for their motives, however, such resources are not in abundance and those with the
technical skills are not readily obtained. One promising development in the drive to obtain
scientific and technical assistance has been the work of Environmental Law Alliance Worldwide.
This group has started to provide scientific and technical assistance to aid the challenges by civil
society through public interest litigation to question approvals granted by the EMA. In the case
of Maxine Walters and the Trinidad and Tobago Rights Association v The Environmental
Management Authority, Alutrint Limited and the Attorney General.71 Staff Scientist Mark
Chernaik of the NGO submitted a written expert affidavit on behalf of the claimants in this
matter.
71
HCA 2272 of 2007.
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