(Trinidad Express) Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar has raised objections to what she says is the Government’s decision to hand over the Petrotrin refinery to a company that has questions to answer.
The former prime minister raised the issue with the media before the United National Congress (UNC) screening of election candidates at the party’s Chaguanas headquarters.
Persad-Bissessar said the Opposition has learnt that Cabinet has identified a company to operate the refinery.
“We are being advised—of course, not officially—that the Government has held a Cabinet meeting about a company that they want to give the refinery to,” she said.
She said the Government has a track record of discussing the refine¬ry’s future with a company before a general election, and this was also done prior to the 2020 general election.
“Now is not the time for the Government to rush into any private deal with any company to sell off or give away the refinery. Now is not the time, on the eve of an election,” she said.
She said the Procurement Regulator should be brought into this matter.
“This is not something for the Cabinet to decide on alone. This is about birthright, this is about inheritance—the people and the workers of Trinidad…so we object strenuously to this rushed process,” she added.
According to Persad-¬Bissessar, the Opposi¬tion has serious concerns about the compa¬ny identified to take over the refinery.
She said there have been questions about transparency and other issues surrounding this company, which she will address at a later time.
On Monday, the Express sent questions to Energy Minister Stuart Young, asking whether Cabinet had last Thursday approved a foreign company to operate the refinery.
The Express further asked the minister whe¬ther he was aware of sev¬eral allegations made against this particular company.
There was no response.
