Gail Alexander
When Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi told MPs in Parliament yesterday T&T was at a "crisis point", he wasn’t referring to what was taking place in the Southland with protesting Petrotrin workers.
Protesting, not because of the cessation of Petrotrin’s operations, but workers at various locations, in various ways, were seeking payments reportedly due.
But the "thunder" in South marking the end of Petrotrin's operations—in furtherance of the new company beginning next Monday—was echoed with equal "thunder" in the North between the Government and the Opposition on the contentious Income Tax Amendment Bill.
After continuing rebuff, the Government blitzed the Opposition with action all week. Writing Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar on Monday, interviewing stakeholders on Wednesday. And Prime Minister Keith Rowley’s public meeting Thursday, criticising the Opposition–ahead of yesterday’s meeting seeking Persad-Bissessar’s help to move forward.
If as the Opposition claimed, Government's heavy push on the bill was geared to distract from Petrotrin’s closure, it may not have succeeded. This, considering over 5,000 Petrotrin workers—and half the country, in South, would have held requiem of sorts for Petrotrin’s refinery yesterday. The ITA bill required for European Union, Global Forum (GF) and Financial Action Task Force, anti-tax evasion processes, may have seemed somewhat removed and less immediate a crisis.
Particularly since both PNM and UNC have acknowledged T&T is already blacklisted because of the bill. While Government has trumpeted the dangers of non-passage, the exact deadline for the passage which remained unclear has provided fertile ground for public confusion. Therefore, political weaponisation of a matter which shouldn’t have proved so difficult following the Fatca exercise.
While Government on the platform has blamed the Opposition for the delay, at Wednesday’s stakeholder meeting—where leading questions were lodged—Finance Minister Col Imbert blamed the GF for "continually shifting the goalposts", adding demands.
While both sides remained hard line on the issue up to 7 pm, the depth of the Petrotrin adjustment for those outside Parliament—confronting realities equally tough as measures threatened by ITA nonpassage—were demonstrated in one instance on Thursday.
Petrotrin was mentioned only briefly at PNM’s public meeting and then as an example of Government’s bravery in confronting issues. That same day, however, workers put aside their own woes when they saw numbers of retirees at the Pointe-a-Pierre compound, coming to sign for the new medical plan,
"My God, it was heartbreaking," said Petrotrin employee, one-time Olympic track star Alvin Daniel.
"Some couldn’t walk. They had to be driven in, others were leaning on canes, walkers, in wheelchairs. The traffic jam was huge. These people laboured all their life for Petrotrin expecting they’d have a lifetime medical plan. Now they’re worrying about what will happen after two years with this new plan—they shouldn’t have to take this.
"As an athlete, I was offered citizenship in other countries which I turned down. When your country does this to you, boy…We feel like throwaways. I hope some way could be found to at least incorporate our policing division’s young officers into police/SRP ranks so their training isn’t wasted."
Some workers have applied for jobs at the new companies. A minority succeeded as far as Energy Minister Franklin Khan’s figures confirmed yesterday. One employee successfully transitioned to the Paria company—going from $28,000 monthly to $14,000, it’s understood.
The “ghost” of the previous Petrotrin may hardly be laid to rest by yesterday’s payouts such as they were (or weren’t). Concerns about the longevity of the pension plan as well as the medical plan may only be some of the issues ahead.
UNC Senator attorney Gerald Ramdeen says, "I’m representing a group of workers who have every intention of challenging in the courts, the manner in which they’ve been treated regarding severance benefits and pensions."
Now that Petrotrin’s refinery lights and Catcracker flame no longer light Marabella’s landscape —a rising concern of residents who say the area is now very dark—coming months will test Government’s promises on the new Petrotrin path.
In the end, it may not only have been about doing the right thing, but making the move the right way.