MSJ head: No sympathy for Espinet

LEADER of the Movement for Social Justice (MSJ) David Abdulah said the party has no sympathy for Wilfred Espinet regarding his removal as chairman of Trinidad Petroleum Holdings Ltd (TPHL).

This is because of his handling of the closure of the Pointe-a-Pierre refinery and for leaving workers on the breadline.

Abdulah made the comments on Sunday at a press conference at the party’s office in San Fernando.

“Ultimately it was (Prime Minister) Dr Rowley and his Cabinet who decided to close down Petrotrin and to send all the workers home, so it is not just Espinet culpable.”

Abdulah accused the Rowley-led government of engaging in “political cronyism and political interference” in the running of state companies.

It is evident, he said, with the restructuring of Petrotrin’s successor companies. The changes would not change the price of coffee because the price of coffee, Abdulah said, is a failure which lies on the shoulders of the Prime Minister.

“What Dr Rowley has done is re-establish, very clearly, very explicitly, that his PNM administration is doing precisely what he criticised (former prime minister) Mr (Patrick) Manning of doing – engaging in political cronyism.”

Last week, Finance Minister Colm Imbert and Energy Minister Franklin Khan announced at the post-Cabinet news conference at the Diplomatic Centre in St Ann’s, that Espinet would be replaced by attorney Michael Quamina. Outgoing Housing Development Corporation chairman Newman George will now be chairing the boards which Espinet headed.

CEO of Heritage Petroleum Mike Wylie, who is ailing, is also to be replaced.

“The closure of Petrotrin was an economic crime in the country. The establishment of all these companies has been failures.”

MSJ community activists Crystal Bernard and Theo Henry also attended the conference.

Abdulah charged that Rowley’s new society offers no hope to the young people—- not for university graduates or for the youths who are being failed by TT’s education system.

“It is one where opportunity and wealth are unequal. Only a few people benefit while the majority are suffering. The one per cent wants workers to operate as minimum wage workers with no benefits, no maternity leave.”

The MSJ, he said, is opposed to Rowley’s new society.

“It creates more misery and barbarism. We offer the vision of the second republic where we reform our institutions.

“We serve the common good, where labour is not exploited and where advancement is based on merit, not nepotism.”