Khan playing ‘wordsmith’

Accusing Energy Minister Franklin Khan of playing “wordsmith” another executive member of the Oilfield Workers Trade Union (OWTU) is denying the executive knew about plans to shut down Petrotrin’s refinery.

OWTU’s chief Education and Research officer, Ozzi Warwick released a statement yesterday, saying Khan’s statements were a move to shift conversation away from the “most devastating, irresponsible and reckless decision” made by any government.

During the launch of TTT on Thursday, Khan said OWTU’s president general Ancel Roget knew about the plan to shut the refinery down and send home 1,700 permanent employees.

On Tuesday, Petrotrin’s board announced the closure of its 101-year-old refinery.

Yesterday, Warwick said he was present at the meeting between Roget, Khan, Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley, National Security Minister Stuart Young, Trade Minister Paula Gopee-Scoon and others.

Warwick said the union’s representatives did not know minutes of the meeting were kept and received no draft of minutes to verify they were correct.

“It is proper protocol and practice that if minutes are to be generated that a draft be circulated to persons attending the meeting for any corrections or omissions before there is any confirmation that the minutes indeed reflected discussions or decisions,” he said.

He stood behind Roget’s statements that the union’s executive was not told the refinery was to be shut down.

“Our notes will reflect that in the meeting, the Prime Minister lamented on the state of the Refinery and that it was a major problem for Petrotrin and that Petrotrin should come out the refining business. When pressed by Comrade Roget to state exactly what that meant the Prime Minister kept insisting that the union should wait until we meet with the board.”

Warwick said closing the refinery is “tantamount to treason.”

“The fact remains that this government’s decision if allowed to go through, will throw away this country’s energy sovereignty in our 56th year of Independence, it will lead to the selling out of our national patrimony, throw thousands of families into turmoil, decimate communities in the south and will ultimately crash our economy. The government’s decision is tantamount to treason!”