Young: No volcano ‘switch’

THERE is no switch to turn off the Piparo mud volcano, said National Security Minister Stuart Young, seemingly reacting to critics of the Government at Thursday’s post-Cabinet briefing at the Diplomatic Centre, St Ann’s.

He lamented the site continues to attract a large turnout of visitors despite warnings to stay away. “There’s nothing anyone can do to prevent a mud volcano. The Government has done all it can do. It is being monitored.

“No person has the ability to switch a volcano on or off.”

Saying empty barrels make most noise, Young accused the Opposition of saying things which were untrue over the Piparo situation. He said only one house was affected. Saying he had insisted that scientific personnel be assigned to the site, including from UWI's seismic and vulcanology units, he said, "So it is wrong to say we have no scientific data."

Young said it is not necessary for him to be at Piparo as police and fire officers are on the site, with the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Management in charge.

He said that it is "inaccurate, false and misleading" to claim the Government is unaware of the situation at Piparo. Lamenting that people from all over Trinidad were travelling to Piparo and "making it a scene", Young said, "Exercise common sense. There can be danger going down there."