Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar has defended the Government’s position on the retrenchment of Nutrien workers, insisting that the National Gas Company (NGC) must act in the best interests of its own workforce.
Her comments came as hundreds of Nutrien employees were yesterday informed that the retrenchment process was set to begin, nearly a year after the Canadian fertiliser giant initiated a controlled shutdown of its Point Lisas operations.
Asked by Guardian Media about the impact of the layoffs, Persad-Bissessar distanced the Government from the decision.
“That is between them and Nutrien. It is Nutrien who made the decision to send them home,” Persad-Bissessar said.
The Prime Minister maintained that NGC has a duty to make decisions that safeguard its employees.
“NGC has to make decisions to ensure NGC doesn’t have to send its workers home and NGC has done so,” said.
“The Government respects the rights of both NGC and Nutrien to run their businesses as they see fit.”
Nutrien began a controlled shutdown of its Trinidad nitrogen operations on October 23, 2025, citing restricted access to port facilities and an unreliable and uneconomic natural gas supply. About 350 contract workers were sent home within days of that announcement, while permanent employees remained on the job.
By January 2026, NGC notified Nutrien that the gas meters serving its Point Lisas facility would be isolated after the company’s gas supply arrangement expired. At the time, roughly 400 permanent employees and 100 contractors remained attached to the operation.
Yesterday, approximately 350 workers were notified of impending retrenchment as Nutrien moved ahead with plans to shut down its Trinidad nitrogen operations indefinitely, bringing months of uncertainty over the future of the facility to a head.
The Prime Minister also dismissed suggestions that Nutrien’s departure reflected a failure by Government.
“Nutrien has to run their business how they see fit to satisfy their shareholders. I have no problem with their decision to shut down their plants. I wish them the best.”
She argued that NGC’s responsibility is to maximise returns from the country’s gas resources.
“NGC must run its business to ensure the citizens of this country get maximum return from gas sales.”
On the company’s pricing strategy, Persad-Bissessar declared: “NGC will no longer sell its gas at prices that are not beneficial to the company.”
She also rejected concerns that the closure would have a significant impact on foreign-exchange earnings.
“As for foreign exchange, that will not be affected. The gas will simply go to another plant or to ALNG to be processed at prices negotiated by NGC.”
Seeking to reassure the public, she added: “There is absolutely nothing for citizens to concern themselves about.”
The development has intensified a political dispute over responsibility for the closure.
Former energy minister Stuart Young, in a social media post, accused the Persad-Bissessar administration of mishandling the energy sector and warned that the Nutrien shutdown would lead to job losses and reduced foreign-exchange earnings.
Young argued that the previous People’s National Movement (PNM) administration had successfully balanced natural gas supply and demand while maintaining the viability of the energy sector. He also contended that none of the gas projects now expected to advance could be credited to the United National Congress (UNC) administration.
But Persad-Bissessar responded sharply to this.
“Stuarty had opportunities for ten years and failed at every one,” she said.
Turning to Young’s political future, she added: “He should relax and enjoy his stint until 2030 when Penny will kick him out of the Parliament.”
Moonilal: NGC offered to purchase idle plant
Energy Minister Dr Roodal Moonilal meanwhile said Government and NGC had been working since October 2025 to keep the Nutrien facility operational.
Moonilal revealed that NGC had gone so far as to offer to purchase the PCS Nitrogen complex and said restarting the plant remains a priority, whether under Nutrien or another operator.
He also rejected claims that the shutdown resulted from a shortage of natural gas, arguing instead that Nutrien’s decision was driven by its efforts to secure margins acceptable to shareholders.
Moonilal accused Young of hypocrisy, pointing to a series of industrial closures during the previous administration, including ArcelorMittal Point Lisas and Central Trinidad Steel in 2016, the Petrotrin refinery in 2018, Yara Trinidad’s ammonia plant in 2018, Atlantic LNG Train 1 in 2021 and the prolonged idling of Methanex Titan.
Commenting on the latest development, economist Dr Jamelia Harris yesterday warned that Nutrien’s exit will have consequences extending well beyond the loss of a single plant.
“The effects of Nutrien leaving on the economy are quite clear. GDP will be impacted, people will be sent home and lose their jobs, and we will have a lower capacity to earn foreign exchange,” she said.
Harris also highlighted the scale of Nutrien’s commitment to T&T, noting the company invested US$130 million in 2024 to improve the efficiency of its operations.
“A year later in 2025, they were idling their plants,” she noted.
She said the closure must also be viewed against the backdrop of wider challenges facing downstream energy producers, including Methanex, as concerns persist about gas supply and the long-term competitiveness of the sector.
