AN online petition to suspend the Government’s proposed Artificial Intelligence data centres garnered 16,239 signatures up to late yesterday.As the petition circulates, many have expressed concern that Trinidad and Tobago’s electricity and water resources could be exploited, while communities around the country clamour for a better public utilities service, including pipeborne water.The petition was started via the change.org platform days after an announcement by Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar that the Government had signed two memoranda of understanding with United States-based companies, to establish hyperscale data centres in T&T.The potential impact of the centres on the environment, water and power grids, and the health of surrounding communities was raised as a concern by bioacoustician Syam Nath, who started the petition.Nath is the founder of Nath Bioacoustics (NMBC) and co-founder of the Trinidad and Tobago Cetacean Sighting Network (TTCSN).Nath told the Express on Monday that some people were upset about the proposal and felt it important to document the issue.He called for transparency and public consultation, underscoring the value of Trinidad’s sensitive ecosystems.Many commenting on social media agreed with the petition’s argument that T&T is facing a longstanding water crisis.The petition calls clear answers as to potential impacts before any approvals are granted, noting that no Environmental Impact Assessment, water availability study, cooling strategy, or drought resilience plan has been publicly released for the proposed developments.“Without this information, citizens cannot meaningfully evaluate whether these projects are in the national interest,” the petition stated.The petition calls for the Government to “suspend approval of large-scale AI data centres until comprehensive environmental, water resource, and infrastructure assessments have been completed, independently reviewed, and made available for public consultation”.Young: Warningfor T&TFormer energy minister Stuart Young has in the meantime called for caution as Government proceeds with the proposed data centres.Young yesterday noted growing global concerns as to the impact of such facilities on water and power consumption.He questioned whether T&T’s water and electricity grids were capable of supporting an AI data facility, as he shared an international news outlet article on New York being the first American state to impose a moratorium on new data centres.Young said T&T’s electricity was “highly subsidised and T&TEC has been unable to pay (the National Gas Company) for the gas used to generate the electricity for years”.“Billions of dollars are owing,” he stated.Young urged the Government to proceed cautiously, calling the New York development a “timely warning” for T&T.New York has imposed a one-year moratorium on the construction of new data centres with power demands of 50 megawatts or more.The article stated that the measure follows concerns that the rapid expansion of AI facilities was driving increased electricity costs, straining water supplies and putting additional pressure on local communities.“This is a timely warning for T&T,” Young argued, adding: “Our electricity grid and water production cannot support any large-scale (hyperscale) data centres.”Young said the country also needed to know what concessions were being asked for.Calling for greater transparency on the Government’s proposed projects, Young said there were many legitimate questions and concerns that required answers and details.He called on the Government led by Persad-Bissessar to provide more details, including “who is really winning”.