Imbert: Moonilal refinery allegations 'scandalous fantasy'

FINANCE Minister Colm Imbert has dismissed claims by Oropouche East MP Dr Roodal Moonilal of a "tangled web" concerning the sale of the Pointe-a-Pierre refinery as a "scandalous fantasy."

He was winding up budget debate in the House Tuesday night, and said the Opposition members did not address measures in the budget presentation.

"All I heard was screaming about this and that. Scandalous accusations that have no merit. A tissue of untruths came out of the lips of the MP for Oropouche East. A fantasy. Fantasy. A scandalous fantasy. Not a single word that he uttered was true. Not a word. Not a full stop. Not a semi-colon."

But.Imbert said, "That will be dealt with in another place. Those scandalous and false remarks will be dealt with in another place. Soon. Not another time. Soon. In another place.

"He knows. He has received his papers. He knows."

Moonilal, in his earlier contribution, said he found a paper trail showing foul play in the acquisition of the Petrotrin refinery by the OWTU’s holding company Patriotic Energies and Technologies Co Ltd. He said it was linked to Vidya Deokiesingh, a former Petrotrin employee named in an internal audit into the AV Drilling Co Ltd fake oil scandal, a former PNM candidate for Siparia and a close friend of the Prime Minister.

He also claimed SunStone Equity of Suriname was a major player in the "scheme."

SunStone CEO John Van Dyke told Newsday on Tuesday that his company's dealings with the OWTU had been above board and denied knowledge of a US$500,000 wire transfer.