Moonilal knocks 'secret plan' to privatise port

DR Roodal Moonilal is warning that the jobs of some 1,500 dock workers are on the line as he revealed an alleged secret plan by government to privatise the Port Authority.

Moonilal said on the eve of a general election, a foreign entity from the Philippines – International Container Terminal Services Inc (ICTSI) – has already been selected as the preferred tenderer for the lease and operation of the port.

President of the Seamen and Waterfront Workers Trade Union (SWWTU) Michael Anisette, in an interview with the Newsday on April 16 cast doubts on ICTSI, and said the International Transport Federation (ITF) which his union is part of, has been in the forefront challenging ICTSI for breaches of international labour standards and not recognising labour rights of workers.

Annisette also cautioned that most dock workers are from the East West Corridor and live in key People's National Movement (PNM) strongholds of constituencies like Laventille and Diego Martin. He warned against expected social fall out and all the attendant dangers that goes hand in hand with such a fall out.

Anisette confirmed Moonilal’s statement at a United National Congress (UNC) April 15 meeting in San Fernando, that the workers and union have been left out of this decision-making process.

The trade unionist said about a year ago, the government of former prime minister Dr Keith Rowley, through the Ministry of Works and Transport, did indicate plans regarding a public-private partnership for the port. As major stakeholders, he said there were no further discussions about the selection of a partner. Annisette said enquiries were made to the Port management which seems unaware of the arrangement as an evaluation committee oversaw this exercise.

The committee is chaired by Nigel Edwards and includes Jonathan Soo Hon, Candice Baptiste, Dominic Rampersad, Commodore Garnet Best, Demi John Cruckshank and Shalana Mahabir.

Pointing to the current state of the port and acknowledging it may need a partner, Annisette called for transparency and fairness in the process.

At a meeting at Pagoda carpark, Independence Avenue, San Fernando, in support of candidates for San Fernando East and West, John Michael Alibocus and Dr Michael Dowlath, Moonilal read from a port authority document dated April 14, 2025.

The document was an evaluation report on the invitation to tender for the public private partnership project for the Port of Port of Spain, for the consideration of the Cabinet oversight committee.

“The long and short of this is that they have invited international firms in shipping, we assume, to tender for PPP for the port which they would lease the assets, surrender the assets of the people of TT to a foreign company."

He said in July 2024, six prospective bidders tendered and ICTSI was identified as the preferred tenderer.

Moonilal had questions for the government about the fate of the workers, whom he warned to be vigilant and wary of plans to retrench and send them home.

“Who are they?" he asked about the preferred tenderer.

“Who are they connected to that you would take millions upon millions worth of state assets and pass it on to them on the eve of a general election?

“Tonight, I want to ask what is the status of the workers? The necks of over 1,500 port workers are on the chopping block if this sees the light of the day. They have not consulted with the recognised union.”

Stating it is a secret deal done under the cover of darkness, Moonilal questioned who the financiers of this project are, asking if Global Finance is involved.

Suggesting this might be an election financing project, Moonilal called upon the procurement regulator to reveal data on the deal and name the financiers.

“This is the PNM trademark of selling out and surrendering assets on the eve of a general election."

He said it is a repeat of the Brazilian firm Construtora OAS , the original contractor for the Solomon Hochoy Highway extension from San Fernando to Point Fortin OAS, which an outgoing PNM government selected as the preferred bidder before the 2010 election.

He said while they wanted another contractor, they were legally bound to OAS which declared bankruptcy before the project was concluded. Legal battles followed with the government of former prime minister Dr Keith Rowley to recover cost.

“So, when we get in there (in government), it is the OAS all over again. They are setting a trap for the workers and an incoming government by placing a legal regulatory framework which we have to meet and treat with.”

He said this arrangement would have to be reviewed and revised, questioning whether this was the same approach used for the restructuring of Petrotrin and, a model for the Water and Sewage Authority (WASA).

Moonilal also spoke to the 12 per cent wage negotiation between the port authority and the union agreed to in 2015 which the Rowley government failed to honour on the basis that the CPO was not involved in the negotiations.

Annisette said that wage agreement signed at the Hyatt was sanctioned by then minister of works and transport Stephen Cadiz, whose authority ought to have superseded that of the CPO. He said a superior package that would have reduced overtime and bring the port to international standards were also agreed to but were never implemented.

“Had government honoured that agreement, the port would have been laughing all the way to the bank and would have been in a much better footing that it is in today.

Annisette said, “In my view, this demonstrates to me, that the port was deliberately run down to have this kind of effect.”

There was no response to messages sent to Works and Transport Minister Rohan Sinanan for clarity.