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  • 19 hours ago
Raising concerns over the potential environmental impact of two proposed AI Data Centres in Trinidad, is premature, according to Minister of Tertiary Education Professor Prakash Persad.

Three days ago the government signed two MOUs with US organisations focused on the development of two large scale-data centres.

The Minister says while he believes it would be a positive move for the country, nothing is finalised yet.

Reporter Cindy Raghubar-Teekersingh tells us more.
Transcript
00:00Despite an online petition already gathering over 8,000 signatures calling for the suspension of approvals for two AI data
00:10centers in TNT due to water supply and electrical capacity concerns,
00:15one government minister says these or even potential environmental impact fares are premature, saying that the MOUs signed between the
00:25TNT government and U.S. organizations recently do not mean there is a fixed or final arrangement.
00:33Nothing has been defined as that. So I think maybe some of these issues are premature. But I will also
00:40add, if it comes on stream, it's going to create a huge opportunity for employment.
00:44These data centers are large, you're going to need a lot of people here. And then it's going to be
00:49a source of foreign exchange, I imagine, when the big companies use it. So I see it as positive.
00:54Speaking to reporters following the launch of a series of YTEP AI-centered short courses at the MIC Pinal campus
01:02on Monday, Minister of Tish Re-Education, Prakash Prasad, says if these AI data centers are to be constructed, all
01:11environmental checks and clearances will be undertaken.
01:15The process will be followed. So I don't think there's any need to raise any alarms at this point. The
01:21process will be followed to ensure everything is safe.
01:23The data centers are proposed to be a 300 megawatt and a 150 megawatt capacity infrastructures with potential operation in
01:33early 2028, subject to the outcome of due diligence and the parties advancing the project, according to a statement issued
01:42by the Office of the Prime Minister over the weekend.
01:45Meanwhile, reports have indicated Debe is the area within which the centers may be constructed.
01:53A prospect which Chairman of the Pinal-Debe Regional Corporation, Gautam Maraj, welcomes.
02:00We are very excited. Any activity that brings jobs to our people, we are very, very much appreciative and in
02:06acceptance of it.
02:07Because regions here and nearing regions, people are in need of jobs and so on.
02:12In terms of risk, risk elimination, the modern management approach to risk is not risk elimination in total.
02:18It is really risk management.
02:21Cindy Raguba, Chika Singh, TV6 News.
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