- NEWSDAY.CO.TT - A la Une - Hier 04:04

Moonilal to appoint refinery reopening committee

A committee with a combined experience of 500 years of experience in refinery services is set to be appointed for the reopening of the Petrotrin refinery at Pointe-a-Pierre. This was announced by Energy and Energy Industries Minister Dr Roodal Moonilal during the fourth sitting of the House of Representatives on June 23. He said the refinery requires technical, scientific, commercial, economic and contractual evaluations before the re-opening can be finalised and the government has been working with multiple stakeholders inciting the Oilfields Workers Trade Union. This comes after Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar said the government has made a commitment to see what could be done to reopen the refinery during Labour Day celebrations on June 19, after its operations ceased in November 2018 as part of the government's restructuring of the company. “A lot of things have to happen at the same time. It is not simply going down there with a cigarette lighter and lighting up the flare," Moonilal said. “...We are now going for a quick technical assessment of that refinery then we will engage a suitable partner through a proper, open, transparent process to help us to restart in terms of the technical capabilities. “We will engage relevant, suitable partners. We have been speaking as well with the international community in terms of what is required. We are working with our partners in the labour sector and collaborating with others so that in the shortest possible time we will have our refinery. He said the government is also in discussions with the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry and government officials for sourcing needed inputs for the refinery’s function such as crude oil. Noting the importance of the cross-border gas fields, he said the government is working with authorities in the US and Venezuela to reach a common approach so that TT can eventually benefit. “We warned the former administration to not put all their eggs in one basket. The basket fell. The US government cancelled two licences for the Manakin-Cocuina and the Dragon fields…we are now working with all international partners to ensure those matters can be resolved in a way that can benefit the Caricom territories and the co-owners of those gas fields consistent with the US foreign policies.” The post Moonilal to appoint refinery reopening committee appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.