00:00Last week, Energy Minister Dr. Rudal Monilal said the government expects to have a clear path forward for the restart
00:08of the refinery in a matter of days.
00:10As such, the upcoming budget reading is expected to provide the nation with a long-awaited plan.
00:17But OWTU President General Ansel Rouget is tight-lipped as to his budget wishes.
00:24We have lots of wishes, but we prefer not to say what those wishes are.
00:30We'll comment on the budget when the budget has been announced.
00:33But we feel confident that the budget will take into account the plight of the people of this country.
00:40We can assume that UWTU wishes that they would be selected as the operator for the refinery.
00:46Oh, you can assume all kinds of things.
00:48We can assume all kinds of things, but we know for sure, without assumption, who was against OWTU.
00:54The OWTU has publicly and officially expressed its interest in operating the Mothball refinery, but thus far has been unsuccessful
01:03in its bids.
01:05What are the current talks surrounding the OWTU's role now moving forward?
01:10Well, it's not just a matter of talks.
01:12We continue to work with the Honorable Minister and the Ministry of Energy.
01:16We continue to work with the government, the Prime Minister's trust.
01:21As you would have recognized that the Prime Minister, this Prime Minister, would have attracted lots of investment to the
01:28shores of Trinidad and Tobago.
01:30And the involvement in the refinery is just one of those.
01:33And therefore, we are prepared to work under the policy and direction of the Prime Minister and the government to
01:40ensure a safe and reliable and sustainable restart and operation of the refinery.
01:45And as I said, let us not be lost on the population that we have the competent, ready, willing, and
01:51able, experienced workers to restart and to operate.
01:56What exactly is the configuration of that? We are yet to decide that.
02:04The refinery has now been sitting idle for 80 years, after the then-PNM government took the decision to shutter
02:11it, stating that its operation was losing the country billions.
02:15But Roger maintains that the restart of the refinery is what is best for the people of TNT.
02:22A lot of jobs, a lot of jobs, thousands and thousands of jobs will be provided for citizens in this
02:29country.
02:29In the reconstruction and the restart phase, in the phase where we do all the refurbishment work, it will be
02:39over 4,000 jobs.
02:41And of course, as we restart the refinery, there will be over some 1,200 permanent jobs.
02:48But not just that, the spin-off effect of contractors and service providers and so on, all of which will
02:54generate a lot of economic activities and a significant number of jobs that the country will benefit.
03:01And lastly, but most importantly, we will be able to save valuable foreign exchange.
03:08Not just save, but to earn more foreign exchange.
03:11Meantime, former Petitian Chairman Wilfred Espini has expressed a doubt that any company would be willing to reinstate workers' terms
03:18and conditions and maintain the OWTU as the recognized majority union, as prescribed in law.
03:25When you look at it, you recognize that the government, that PNM government that is out of office, there's quite
03:33a number of good reasons why they should stay out of office.
03:36And quite a number of reasons why Mr. Espierde should stay out of the business of the refinery.
03:42Can you give any guarantee that when the refinery is restarted, that it will be a unionized environment?
03:48Well, certainly, certainly. This government, and you would have heard the Honorable Minister of Labor talk about this government and
03:57the Prime Minister supporting the workers' agenda.
04:00And that workers' agenda would see workers being represented by trade unions, ensuring that they work in the safe and
04:09healthy work environment.
04:11Roger was speaking at an OSH stakeholder consultation today.
04:16Renasa Cutting, TV6 News.
