Roget: Workers will never forget Petrotrin refinery closure

DESCRIBING the past nine years under the PNM administration as “pure hell,” president general of the Oilfields Workers' Trade Union (OWTU) Ancel Roget vowed to neither forget nor forgive the party for how it treated trade unions.

He charged that with the closure of Petrotrin in 2018, the PNM government not only took away the jobs of 5,000 workers and affected the livelihood of 45,000 in the South Western peninsula, but also removed the workers’ medical plan, which had been guaranteed for life as a term and condition of their collective agreement.

“With the current conflict in the Middle East and oil prices soaring, we are very ready and prepared to safely, successfully and sustainably restart and operate the Pointe-a-Pierre refinery for the benefit of TT,” Roget said.

He gave the feature address at Labour Day celebrations at Charlie King Junction in Fyzabad on June 19. The theme was Reset: It is workers’ time now!

Roget made those remarks just before Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar announced that a committee would be set up to explore the restart of the state-owned refinery.

He continued to criticise the now-opposition, accusing the party of taking away Petrotrin workers’ and retirees’ medical plans.

“Today, there are still thousands of Petrotrin retirees who are suffering and in desperate need of their medical plan and have nowhere to turn,” he said.

“Hundreds of former Petrotrin workers and retirees died because they did not have their medical plan which was guaranteed to them.”

The union leader accused the PNM of failing to introduce labour legislation to protect workers.

“They shamelessly give themselves a salary increase of 47 per cent with hefty increases to their pension, they imposed on workers the most unjust 4 per cent over six years without consolidation of COLA,” Roget told the gathering.

“They filed court injunctions when workers protest poor health and safety conditions at their work environment.”

He said the administration demonised and attempted to eradicate all well-paying jobs.

He went on to say that thousands of workers were sent home, and as a result, they were unable to support their families, pay rent or mortgages, or put food on the table.

Roget warned that the PNM – or anyone who tries to destroy the OWTU – would only end up destroying themselves.

“We have a profound duty and responsibility to protect it from those who will desperately attempt to destroy the unity and the Coalition of Interests,” he said.

“We just could not stand idly by and not join with the only political party in the 2025 general elections that identified with our working-class interest. We had to secure our future and, therefore, secure the future of TT. We had to reset the social, economic and political order for workers.”

He thanked Persad-Bissessar and the UNC for accepting the trade unions as part of the Coalition of Interests and for her commitment to the working class and the workers’ agenda.

He said the new government, with just six weeks in office, had already begun to demonstrate that commitment.

Roget cited the repeal of the Revenue Authority of TT, the halting of the restructuring of WASA, which he claimed would have allowed the PNM to send home thousands of workers, the regularisation of hundreds of auxiliary fire officers and other cases.

He praised Point Fortin MP Ernesto Kesar and La Brea MP Clyde Elder, who were victorious at the April 28 polls on behalf of the union.

“Our political intervention included very significantly, among other things, the sending of our two soldiers to fight on our behalf. The significance of this political intervention must never be lost or understated or even taken for granted,” Roget said

Roget described the two MPs as committed, competent, and experienced soldiers from their respective communities.

The union leader also recognised Labour Minister Leroy Baptiste, a former president of the Public Service Association, for his role in the general election campaign.

Roget acknowledged several union leaders, including general secretary of the National Trade Union Centre, Michael Annisette, and president general of the National Union of Government and Federated Workers Christopher Streete.

Throwing picong at the PNM, he said the price of freedom is eternal vigilance.

“Therefore, we must guard jealously the success at the polls on April 28.”

“You see, we observed that since their crushing election defeat, we have seen the PNM’s strategy to create confusion and stymy the progress of this UNC and Coalition of Interest government of which we are part.”

He referenced what he called the deliberate delay by some board members in vacating the statutory bodies.

“They were appointed by the same PNM that was rejected by the people at the polls,” he said.

“We have also identified a few senior managers in various state enterprises, in particular at TTEC and TT Post. They are all remnants of the defeated PNM who are hell-bent on using their positions in those state enterprises to create confusion and chaos with the respective trade unions. We will not accept this. They must all be immediately rooted out.”

Roget further accused the previous government of “weaponising” the Industrial Court.

He called for the removal of a judge whom he accused of consistently handing down judgments against workers.

Despite the rains throughout the day, a large crowd turned out for the annual event in Fyzabad under the watchful eyes of the police, including the newly elected Commissioner of Police, Allister Guevarro.