Rowley, Roget to meet Tuesday

A showdown at St Clair is expected on Tuesday as Oilfield Workers Trade Union president General Ancel Roget has accepted an invitation from Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley to meet and discuss the way forward for state-owned Petrotrin.

The decision to meet comes one week after the Prime Minister and the OWTU jefe engaged in a blistering verbal attack against each other over plans for the oil company.

But it does not seem as though acceptance by the OWTU of an invitation extended by Rowley, both in letters dated August 17, relating to talks on restructuring Petrotrin is likely to be amicable.

A message, circulating on social media, for the attention of Petrotrin workers has instructed them to report to the Office of the Prime Minister with their families at 9 am on Tuesday. Sources within the industry said mobilisation was taking place. “The PM requested a meeting with the union to discuss Petrotrin restructuring. We anticipate that their proposal will include sending home hundreds of workers. The union will be resisting this, so come and defend your jobs,” a part of the message read.

Two weeks ago, declaring that their jobs were on the line, Roget told workers at the Pointe-a-Pierre Roundabout of plans to pray and parang outside the PM’s official residence at La Fantasie, St Ann’s on August 26.

Rowley used the People’s National Movement (PNM) Family and Sports Day at Chaguanas last Sunday to respond to Roget. Rowley said he had invited Roget to talk but Roget preferred to “stand on the pavement and shout.”

In a stinging counter attack Roget accused Rowley of speaking untruths and challenged the PM to produce the proof.

As the labour movement intensifies its plans to mobilise workers for the August 26 pray session at St Ann’s and a day of rest and reflection on September 7, the third anniversary of the PNM election victory, Rowley instructed his permanent secretary Maurice Suite to invite Roget to discuss the beleaguered oil company.

In the letter penned on August 17, Suite said he was asked by the PM to invite Roget and up to six members of the OWTU to a meeting at the PM’s St Clair office at 10.30 am on Tuesday.

For security purposes, the OWTU was asked to submit, by 4 pm on Monday the names of individuals who would accompany Roget. In an immediate response, Roget readily accepted the PM’s invitation.

Attempts to contact Roget by telephone went unanswered, however sources within the union told Sunday Newsday, “to expect a lot of excitement on Tuesday.”

Asked if this meeting would shelve plans for August 26, the union representative said, no.