Trinidad and Tobago’s energy sector must place worker safety above all commercial interests, with Government committing to stronger oversight and industry-wide alignment of safety systems.
That message emerged yesterday as government officials, policymakers and business leaders gathered for a forum hosted by the American Chamber of Commerce of T&T (Amcham T&T).
Key outcomes from the “Building Safer Systems Together: A Multi-Sector Dialogue on Contractor Safety” event included a firm government mandate that commercial success must never supersede worker protection, alongside a strategic push to align complex safety systems across all levels of contracting.
Minister in the Ministry of Energy and Energy Industries, Ernesto Kesar, underscored the critical nature of these measures, declaring that the future success of the nation’s energy sector depends on maintaining world-class safety protocols and ensuring that every worker returns home safely.
“The Government is clear in its position: no level of investment, no production target, and no commercial gain can ever justify compromising the safety of workers. Our commitment to safety in the energy sector is firm and ongoing. We will strengthen regulatory oversight and ensure that laws and standards keep pace with the realities of a modern energy industry. We will support agencies responsible for inspections, compliance monitoring, emergency preparedness, and incident investigation. We will encourage the adoption of stronger occupational safety systems, modern training standards, and internationally recognised frameworks such as ISO 45001,” Kesar stated.
He added that the focus would also be on building local capacity so that contractors, especially small and medium-sized enterprises, can meet higher standards and compete successfully.
“And we will foster collaboration between Government, operators, contractors, labour representatives, and communities, because safety improves when information is shared and responsibility is embraced collectively,” the minister added.
Kesar also reflected on his years of first-hand experience in the energy industry, reaffirming that the country’s industrial history was built by its contractors and that their well-being remains the shared responsibility of both the State and private operators.
The minister stressed that in high-risk environments—ranging from marine operations to high-pressure maintenance shutdowns—safety and productivity must be viewed as inseparable partners rather than competing interests.
Amcham T&T CEO Nirad Tewarie, who also spoke, opened the forum by emphasising that for the local business community, safety is no longer just a compliance requirement but a core pillar of operational integrity and long-term economic sustainability.
As the chamber celebrates 30 years of leadership in Health, Safety, Security and Environment (HSSE), Tewarie highlighted the need to close existing gaps in contractor-subcontractor alignment.
“At Amcham T&T, contractor safety is not an abstract issue—it is a real and pressing concern for many of our members, particularly those operating in high-risk sectors such as energy, construction, and manufacturing, where we see the most accidents based on OSH data,” he said.
Tewarie added that Amcham T&T would continue to advocate for a shift in how health and safety are viewed, noting that it is not simply a regulatory requirement but a driver of performance, resilience and long-term business success.
“And perhaps most critically, progress in this area depends on open, informed dialogue—one that reflects the realities faced by those operating within these spaces and systems every day, and that allows us to move towards practical, collaborative solutions,” he further advised.
