PM: OWTU the reason to shut Petrotrin

The Oilfields Workers Trade Union has been identified as the key reason for the complete shutdown of state-owned oil company Petrotrin as the company restructures its operations.

The Prime Minister said this during the final cottage meeting of his Team Red and Rowley slate of candidates for the party's internal elections.

The meeting took place at the Point Fortin town hall auditorium, George Road, Mahaica, on Thursday night.

Dr Rowley said, “We have not said we are shutting down permanently Petrotrin. What we have said, we are restructuring Petrotrin to come back stronger and better after the restructuring.

"Yes, there is going to be a temporary shutdown, in a transition, in a change-over, because the only way we could do it in a smooth and effective way is the way we have outlined it, which is to completely shut it and start it back from scratch.

Otherwise, he said, "There was no way, no way that the OWTU would have co-operated with the government in any other arrangement about reduction in staff or cutting off a piece and keeping a piece.”