Petrotrin on escort for Deokiesingh

Petrotrin provided security to employee Vidya Deokiesingh, who is among several people being questioned in the fake oil probe, at its Santa Flora facility “out of an abundance of caution” when workers there protested against him on Friday.

Although, Deokiesingh at no time felt threatened, he accepted a security escort to the State oil-company’s medical centre where had had an appointment, Petrotrin said in a statement on Twitter last evening.

The company was responding to the circulation of video showing security officers escorting Deokiesingh while workers jeered and clapped as they left.

The workers of Petrotrin’s Santa Flora Exploration & Production (E&P) department first downed tools on Thursday and and again on Friday, following Deokiesingh’s reassignment to the Field Equipment Maintenance Department. His last portfolio was hospitality officer.

Petrotrin again confirmed Deokiesingh had resumed duties on December 6 and was sent to FEM where he had spent several years including a term of apprenticeship. He was previously on leave. During Friday’s morning’s protest, security officers went to check on Deokiesingh’s well-being. “While Deokiesingh did not consider that there was threat to his person, he informed officers he had a pre-arranged medical appointment at the company’s medical centre...Out of an abundance of caution, the officers offered to take him to the medical centre which is what is shown in the video,” Petrotrin stated.

The company said the protesting workers dispersed, Deokiesingh returned to his office and there was no further protest. It also contacted the OWTU, expressing concern about what happened and sought the union’s support to allow the industrial relations process to be followed.

Petrotrin also said internal investigations are ongoing, and again assured employees it will continue to provide a safe work environment.

Following revelations by UNC political leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar about an internal audit by Petrotrin which revealed discrepancies between reported oil production and actual production receipts at Pointe-a-Pierre, the company engaged Kroll Consulting Canada Co (Kroll) to investigate the discrepancies.

Persad-Bissessar had identified AV Oil and Gas Ltd and Deokiesingh as allegedly being involved in the discrepancies.

On Friday, OWTU Santa Flora branch president Theophilus Henry said the union saw Deokiesingh’s return as another example of “political interference” in the operations of the state-owned company.

“We know that it is a political decision and a political instruction to place Mr Deokiesingh back on the job,” Henry said. “The workers have given the company a mandate concerning Mr Deokiesingh and that is he should not be reporting to Santa Flora. There was a stand-down (Friday) where meetings were held with the workers and workers did voice their concerns and certainly they are preparing for something bigger next week if things do not change.”

Deokiesingh contested the Siparia constituency on a PNM ticket in 2015 and was chairman of the Siparia Regional Corporation when the PNM controlled the corporation.

In an statement earlier last week, Petrotrin said Deokiesingh “is the subject of the company ongoing internal investigations and disciplinary procedures.”

In the s Senate this week, Opposition Senator Wade Mark raised questions about Deokiesingh’s move as hospitality officer to the department that monitored oil extraction.

And in the Lower House on Friday, Oropouche East MP Dr Roodal Moonilal Khan asked Energy Minister Franklin Khan about Deokiesingh’s status, with Khan confirming he had resumed duties during disciplinary proceedings.

Khan said the matter is under the purview of Petrotrin’s board and has not been referred to the police.