UNC staying out of Patriotic refinery bid issue

THE Opposition UNC is staying far away from a matter in which the Oilfield Workers' Trade Union (OWTU)-owned Patriotic Services Co Ltd allegedly submitted a fake document submitted in its unsuccessful bid to acquire the former Petrotrin refinery in Pointe-a-Pierre.

Pointe-a-Pierre MP David Lee made the UNC's position on this matter clear at a news conference at the party's headquarters in Chaguanas on October 6.

He said, "That is a matter between Patriotic Technologies and the evaluation committee and even (Energy) Minister Stuart Young. We have nothing to do with that deal."

He also said the UNC played no part in any other bid  any other entity may have made  for the refinery.

"We leave that between Patriotic and the government to sort it out."

Lee refused to be drawn into speculation offered by one reporter that the UNC should say something about two statements issued by Patriotic which said nothing about an alleged US$1.5 billion payment as part of its bid for the refinery.

He said, "It is not our view to come out on anything."

In the House of Representatives on October 4, Young produced what he claimed was a fake document Patriotic submitted as part of its second bid to acquire the refinery.

He said the document, which claimed to show Patriotic deposited US$1.5 billion to a local bank as proof that it had the financial capability to acquire and run the refinery seemed to be fraudulent.

On October 5 and 6, Young rejected statements from Patriotic which respectively claimed his comments in the House were misleading and that it was committed to transparency and fair processes.