Speaking Notes of Political Leader MNF St Augustine
They are now mothballing it!
The Prime Minister told you they are shutting it down,
The Minister of Finance told you they are shutting it down,
The Chairman of Petrotrin told you they are shutting it down.
Now when they are exposed again they are no longer shutting it down. They are going to mothball it.
This is why you can’t trust them. They will lie and fabricate to try and convince you. But do not believe them!
I want to tell you tonight that they cannot shut down the refinery at Point-a-Pierre without complying with the law.
I have consulted with international experts on this matter and it is very clear that mothballing the refinery, shutting down the refinery, modifying the activities at the refinery and decommissioning the refinery – all require the grant of a certificate of environmental clearance. And if they take god out of their mind and think of carrying through with their plan in breach of the law I trust that the Environmental Management Authority will act according to law.
It is clear that no matter how they try to evade compliance with the law a Certificate of Environmental Clearance is required for the action that they propose to take at the Refinery.
I wrote to the authority last week on October 3rd and asked the Chairman of the Environmental Management Authority to provide a response to my inquiries within 24 hours. To date I have not had a response.
Every single resident in the surrounding communities is at risk, their lives and those of their children and their families are being put at risk and this government led by the Prime Minister simply does not care.
I tell you tonight if the EMA does not do what they are required to do by law we will take them to Court and compel then to do what is required to protect every man, woman and child that is at risk.