Abdulah: Petrotrin closure 'con job'

MOVEMENT for Social Justice leader David Abdulah pulled no punches when he described the restructuring of state oil company Petrotrin as “a con job.”

Abdulah made his claims at a Congress of the People forum at Naparima College, San Fernando, on Tuesday night.

Saying there is no transparency in the decisions to close Petrotrin’s Pointe-a-Pierre refinery and restructure the company, Abdulah said Government had caught many people in the country flat-footed with these decisions, with a psychological-warfare tactic of “shock and awe.”

He said that tactic involved various speakers telling the public Petrotrin was in dire financial straits and TT would suffer unless drastic action was taken. This strategy was mapped out over a year, he said, and even took the Oilfield Workers Trade Union (OWTU) by surprise.

The OWTU met with the Opposition Leader, Kamla Persad-Bissessar, at her Charles Street office in Port of Spain yesterday. At a public meeting in Claxton Bay earlier this month, she promised to meet with the union about Petrotrin but did not promise their talks would yield a positive outcome.

Abdulah said the Government’s strategy was very effective because 99.5 per cent of the population does not understand Petrotrin and issues related to it. He agreed with former senator Dr Patrick Watson’s view that there is a buyer for the refinery and a partner for Petrotrin’s exploration and production division.

Abdulah reminded the audience this decision has gone past the Petrotrin board and now has the agreement of the Cabinet.

Reiterating the decision is a bad one, Abdulah declared, “We have to get the Cabinet to back back.” He said Government must reverse the decision to close the refinery and have transparent dialogue about the way forward for Petrotrin.

Abdulah claimed Government has jeopardised TT’s energy security and Caricom’s as well through its decision to close the refinery.

He alleged there are no plans as to where to import fuel from and who to sell Petrotrin’s crude oil stocks to. Abdulah said given events taking place in the global energy arena today, there is no demand for 40,000 barrels of our sour crude. He said now was the time to “raise enough voices” to compel Government to change its mind.

Representing the Women's Institute for Alternative Development, Sabrina Mowlah-Baksh said Government must do a comprehensive economic/social/gender assessment of Petrotrin.

Mowlah-Baksh claimed that with the majority of Petrotrin’s workforce being male, the potential for an increase in domestic violence is great, as information suggests violence against women increases when there is high male unemployment. She asked what was being done to mitigate the social effects of Petrotrin’s restructuring.