OWTU official hopeful of refinery deal before election

OWTU president general Ancel Roget at a news conference on Tuesday.  PHOTO BY MARVIN HAMILTON -
OWTU president general Ancel Roget at a news conference on Tuesday. PHOTO BY MARVIN HAMILTON -

Christopher Jackman, former Petrotrin worker and president of the Pointe-a-Pierre branch of the Oilfield Workers' Trade Union (OWTU) said he is still optimistic that a deal on the future of the refinery can be made before the general election, now less than three days away.

On Monday, president general of the OWTU Ancel Roget suggested that the Prime Minister fast-track the discussions between the OWTU’s company Patriotic Energies and Technologies and Trinidad Petroleum Holdings Ltd (TPHL) and sign off on the acquisition before the election.

Speaking during a virtual campaign meeting in Tunapuna earlier this week, Dr Rowley said the government would not be rushed into closing the deal with Patriotic Energies, and that such decisions "don't carry an election date."

Speaking with Newsday during a demonstration outside the Office of the Prime Minister, Whitehall, Queen's Park Savannah, on Friday, Jackman said while he was concerned over repeated delays over the closure of agreements with the government, he was still hopeful the deal could be finalised before Monday.

"I am optimistic. I am speaking as a member of the ex-Petrotrin workforce, and I believe it is still possible for him to do so.

"But what (with) his current rhetoric, I don't think he will switch. The most we can do is come to the people to get this message across, for him to know how we feel."

He also accused the government of holding the OWTU to political ransom by not making an effort to finalise the agreement with the union before the election.

"It seems they (government) are trying to turn this into a political issue. Our stance is that since September last year a statement was made that Patriotic Energies was the successful bidder. "We were then required to submit ten items out of due diligence, which we did, and from November to now there seems to be some stalling. "And now we face a situation where the Prime Minister is telling us that we have to support him, or this whole thing can fall through.

"We are now being politically blackmailed into supporting the Prime Minister so that we can have an opportunity. Whether he holds us hostage or not, our minds have been made up as to how we will be voting.

"What he has decided to do will not affect our voting."

Less than ten minutes after OWTU members gathered for the demonstration, they were dispersed by St Clair police, who said they were not allowed to stage the protest as they did not have permission.

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"OWTU official hopeful of refinery deal before election"

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