00:00The restart of Trinidad's refinery remains a major campaign promise.
00:05But on Sunday, government signaled progress on another critical commitment,
00:10restoring medical care for former Petrotrin workers.
00:14Minister in the Energy Ministry, Ernesto Kizar,
00:16announced the reopening of two former Petrotrin medical facilities.
00:21It's the commitment of the government of Trinidad and Tobago,
00:24and led by our Prime Minister, Mrs. Kamala-Pasad-Bissessa, SCMP,
00:32to sit with the stakeholders, which will be Heritage, Petrotrin Legacy,
00:39the Ministry of Health, and also the OWTU,
00:43and to come up with, in the shortest possible time,
00:48shortest time, a clear plan to have these centres reopened,
00:56and we're hoping within the next six months,
00:58hoping, and again media, but hoping,
01:01in front of our words, please, but hoping,
01:03we're hoping within the next six months,
01:06to have these centres reopened and accessible
01:08to Petrotrin workers and their families.
01:11One of those centres at Guaracara had been earmarked for early restoration,
01:18and despite significant vandalism at the facility in Santa Flora,
01:22Minister Kizar says that too will be soon up and running.
01:27The Guaracara Medical Facility, the building is strong,
01:30it's structurally strong,
01:33and that's a fun fact,
01:35all of your medical records are still there,
01:37even though you receive copies of it.
01:39Every worker who would have passed through,
01:42all of your medical records are still there,
01:44because they kept a copy because of law,
01:46they have to keep,
01:47they have to keep,
01:48so your medical records are still there,
01:51which would include your dependents and so on,
01:53it's still there,
01:54and that in going through brothers and sisters,
01:57some work could be done in a particular length of time
02:02to restore that Guaracara Medical Facility.
02:06And that was just the first announcement,
02:08Minister Kizar revealed he has been instructed to prepare a comprehensive report for Cabinet,
02:14one that could see former workers receiving a portion of Petrotrin's 76,000 acres.
02:21To prepare a report for the perusal of the Cabinet of Trinidad and Tobago
02:29that will encompass all of the workers of Petrotrin,
02:34all, all, all, permanent, casual, temporary,
02:38for consideration,
02:39listen to my words carefully,
02:41for consideration and approval where necessary
02:44by the Cabinet of Trinidad and Tobago
02:47to be given the land that was committed to you.
02:50The number of beneficiaries is expected to exceed 5,900 workers.
02:57The Minister also assured OWTU members
02:59that the refinery restart process is advancing.
03:02This week, the final report will be forwarded to the Cabinet
03:10and that the OWTU, this is my advice,
03:16the OWTU remains a key partner in the refinery restart process.
03:22And on the long-debated issue of union successorship,
03:26government appears ready to act.
03:28Through our Honourable Comrade and Friend,
03:34Honourable Minister of Labor, Comrade Leroy Batiste,
03:39he has been advised to pilot a motion
03:45through the Cabinet and then through the Parliament, of course,
03:50and that will involve the Attorney General, of course,
03:52to have the Cabinet approve,
03:57well, consider first, and after consider,
04:00approve, if after they consider, they believe so, yes,
04:04the successorship of the OWTU
04:07to all of the five areas in what is now called
04:10the 21st century.
04:13He made these announcements
04:15as the OWTU marked the seventh anniversary
04:18of the refinery's closure at its Poynter Payer Headquarters.
04:22Ravashit Tawari, Rupnarain, TV6 News.
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