PM: 'Monstrous lie' by UNC on Paria sale

THE PRIME Minister has debunked the claim that Government was selling Paria Trading Company to Barbadian company Simpson Oil Ltd (SOL) and his "close friend and golfing buddy" Sir Kyffin Simpson.

Dr Rowley said, "All of that is
just one monstrous lie. I have never played golf (with)...I don't even know if Kyffin Simpson is a golfer. I've been in Barbados on all the golf courses I've never seen Kyffin Simpson on a golf course. Yet the UNC is telling people I have some golfing partner in Barbados.

He was speaking yesterday during the Afternoon Drive programme on I95.5 FM and responding to a social media post claiming Paria had been sold to SOL which he attributed to the UNC. UNC political leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar has denied that the party issued the post.

Rowley said after the first allegation was debunked there was a claim it was being sold to Canadian company Parkland because they discovered Simpson had sold his business to Parkland.

"And you telling them in English 'we don't know whose going to get it' because at this time we are out there inviting proposals. So we have no idea what the proposals we are going to get are and when we are going to get it. But they come into Parliament asking you if we have sold it to Parkland. They are agent provocateurs (people employed to induce others to break the law so that they can be convicted) and they are doing this just to disturb the country and to create mayhem. And in that mayhem, they someone believe that the population will think that the Government is doing something wrong."

He said a request for proposals was put out and, sometime in the future, the public could be informed about what was being offered. He added the proposals would then have to be evaluated and eventually one might become a lease or a sale.

"But we cannot get the best from the refinery if we separate it from what Paria is doing now. Because if the refinery is making refined products to be traded from TT what then is the role of Government as a trader in the business? Let us then be real. But we are in a position to put the country in a good place with those two assets."

Rowley said the Energy Minister said there was no decision to sell Paria because the issue of Paria's future did not come before Parliament. He said while a refining business was desired the Government did not want to be in there losing money but wanted to control supply in the country to ensure guaranteed and prices are not predatory.