‘We will be guided by ruling of court’

Energy Minister Franklin Khan says unless the Industrial Court makes any ruling against the decision to end Petrotrin’s operations, the Government will proceed as planned.

“We will be guided by the ruling of the court and until the court makes any ruling to the contrary, we are proceeding as planned,” he told reporters Wednesday, after the launch of the $87 million Alutech Research and Development Facility at the Tamana InTech Park, Wallerfield. The Oilfields Workers’ Trade Union, which represents Petrotrin workers, sought an injunction at the Industrial Court, Port of Spain, citing an April 3 memorandum of agreement as the basis for asking the court to halt Petrotrin’s proposed retrenchment.

Some 5,000 workers are expected to be retrenched from the state-owned company by the end of November. The matter was adjourned on Wednesday but continued yesterday. Khan said he did not wish to talk about the issue as it is now before the court.

“There is nothing much I can say. It is now in the hands of the lawyers and the court. So obviously they would have their attorneys.

“The State has their attorneys, both Petrotrin attorneys and attorneys representing the Attorney General...so obviously there is limited comment I can make on that. We just wait and see how the process unfolds.”