PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC):

Prime Minister Patrick Manning has come under heavy criticism for his claim that persons with connections to the illegal drugs trade are behind protests against plans to build a smelter plant in the south of the country.

Speaking in the House of Representatives Friday, Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar and Congress of the People political leader, Winston Dookeran, called on the Prime Minister to give concrete evidence of the involvement of drug elements in anti-smelter protests.

Because of heated and sustained protests against the smelter plant in south Trinidad, Manning was forced to relocate the development, but last Thursday he told a post-Cabinet media briefing that he was considering taking back the project to the original place in Chatham.

Persad-Bissessar said if Manning cannot provide concrete proof of his claims, he should apologise and resign, while Dookeran, the St. Augustine MP, said if Manning is unable to provide that proof he should stop speaking on the issue altogether.

On Thursday, Manning said that based on a meeting he had with four pro-smelter groups from Chatham last month, the government had to reluctantly come to the conclusion that drug elements had got involved in the issue.

Police officers have confirmed that the coastline at Chatham was a major drop-off point for boats bringing guns, contraband and cocaine from South America to be trans-shipped to the United States and Europe.