Children pray for Petrotrin

AMONG the hundreds of Oilfield Workers’ Trade Union (OWTU) members gathered at the entrance of the Prime Minister’s Residence at La Fantasie Road, St Ann’s yesterday for a day of prayer and protest, a handful of children who were brought to the front of the prayer procession, pleaded with the almighty to soften the Prime Minister’s heart amid rumours of the shutdown of the Point-a-Pierre Refinery, the sale of assets of the Petroleum Company of Trinidad and Tobago, and the retrenchment of hundreds of workers.

“Father God change the prime minister’s mind. Give him wisdom and knowledge. I put Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley before you. I pray you bless him and work with him to change his heart,” one child prayed.

The children’s prayers did not stand alone. Pleas to a higher power came from practitioners of every religion as they led hundreds of OWTU workers in prayer to secure the fate of the state-owned company.

The union members gathered in droves from as early as 3 pm yesterday and prayed and sang hymns for hours, calling for God to intervene in the future of the company.

Identified only as “Mr Sahadeo”, prayed on behalf of the Hindu community for unity, perseverance and peace.

“May he protect us and nourish us, may we work together with great energy. May we be successful in all our endeavors may we never hate each other. Peace,” Sahadeo prayed.

Shiraz Khan who represented the Muslim community recited from the Q’uaran, and called on Allah for justice and peace.

“Show us the path,” Khan prayed, “The path of those who have earned thy favour, not the path of those who have earned thy anger, nor of those who have gone astray.

“The people who are turning the wheels of the economy are being treated like the dregs of society. We come before you with their hearts crying and their families suffering because of what the leaders have done to us.”

Ancel Roget, President General of the union encouraged members to continue the fight for their “God-given right to be able to have a job, and to secure and provide for families and communities”

“I want all of you to stay the course for justice, for equity, for truth, for good governance, for Trinidad and Tobago and for the Petroleum Company of Trinidad and Tobago.

“I want you to stay the course to ensure that it does not fall into the hands of the vultures, the one per cent.

“What we are doing is not just for ourselves. It is for the benefit of all the citizens of Trinidad and Tobago,” Roget said.