OWTU: We’ll still be here after election

THE Oilfields Workers Trade Union (OWTU) is not speculating about the future of the agreement for its company Patriotic Energies and Technologies and Trinidad Petroleum Holdings Ltd (TPHL) to acquire the former Petrotrin refinery and port in Pointe-a-Pierre.

Within the last week, OWTU president general Ancel Roget had been demanding that the Prime Minister sign off on the acquisition before Monday’s general election.

At a recent news conference at the OWTU’s Paramount Building, union general secretary Ozzi Warwick said the union is not commenting on the future of the agreement. “Let us wait until the night of August 10 before we speculate.”

Warwick said since the OWTU started holding news conferences about Patriotic’s efforts to acquire the refinery, the objective has been to “simply to provide the country with correct, proper information so that people can make an informed decision.”

Warwick said the OWTU was not encouraging people to vote one way or another because the agreement was not signed before the election. Asked about the future of the agreement, Warwick reminded the population that the OWTU is 83 years old. “We have seen many elections. We have seen many parties come and go.

“But we are still here and you can be sure that we will be here on the 11th of August.” Warwick added, “We can’t say the same for others.”

During the news conference, Warwick rejected statements from Energy Minister Franklin Khan that Government will not be bullied into signing any agreement.

He countered, “If anyone is a bully, it is him and his government for closing down Petrotrin.” Warwick reiterated that Patriotic’s acquisition of the refinery and port would have certain benefits, which he said included 6,500 jobs being created in the construction phase, and the resuscitation of south Trinidad’s economy.

At the Petrotrin land distribution launch at the Palo Seco Government Primary School last month, Rowley said the union has a responsibility to come out and defend the people of TT.

“To the OWTU, it was all well and good to overstaff a government refinery and lose money. The day you sign your money on it, you will not be doing that. You will run it properly like a business and make substantial profits.” At that time, Rowley hoped the agreement would be concluded soon.