Energy Chamber enters political arena

I note with great concern the overt entry into the political arena by the Trinidad and Tobago Energy Chamber in attempting to sanitize the Government’s appointment of Eugene Tiah to the Paria Trading investigation committee.

Almost immediately after my questioning of the appointment of Mr. Tiah, the Energy Chamber responded to support the Rowley Government.

Was this overtly political and boorish statement unanimously supported by all members of its executive management including the members representing oil and gas multinationals?

It is shameful that members of the board of the T&T Energy Chamber see no issue with Mr. Tiah’s presence on this committee. The facts are that the Energy Chambers ‘respected’ Mr. Tiah already faced charges laid by the Government of Trinidad and Tobago for mismanaging millions of dollars when he was a PNM appointee on the board of eTeck. In that matter, he was represented by Stuart Young, now Minister of Energy, and Michael Quamina, now Chairman of the Board of Trinidad Petroleum Holdings Limited, the parent company to Paria Fuel Trading Company Limited, and the personal attorney of Keith Rowley.

T&T’s energy industry is in dire straits, but it appears that along with the nation’s falling gas production, professional standards among those on the board of the Energy Chamber have plummeted as well.

Members of the energy chamber board include Mark Loquan of NGC, Arlene Chow of Heritage Petroleum and Vernon Paltoo of National Energy who are all Government appointed. Furthermore, every single member of the board of the Energy Chamber represents companies who depend on the state for contracts and licenses and are therefore clients of the state.

Under the Government I led, the Energy Chamber was treated as a valued stakeholder, hence my government ensured some of the best incentives for exploration which reaped massive benefits for Trinidad and Tobago.

Sadly, today the Energy Chamber remains silent instead of calling on Government to explain why Natural Gas production is at a 15-year low, why LNG production fell 48 per cent in the third quarter of 2021 and, most of all, why despite a seven-year high of energy prices, this nation is not benefiting because production has collapsed under the PNM.

I represent the interests of hundreds of thousands of citizens who rely on the Opposition to ensure their voices are heard. Unlike those on the board of the Energy Chamber, ordinary people of our nation can’t depend on lucrative deals with this Rowley government to give them a voice.

I wish to remind the Energy Chamber, that their organization may well have questions to answer in this investigation, regarding the quality or legitimacy of STOW certifications conferred on companies involved.

The Paria Fuel tragedy was the worst industrial accident in our nation for nearly forty years. It is of critical importance that the public have complete confidence in the investigative committee to unearth the truth in this matter, not just for the families of the deceased but for the entire nation.

It is imperative that justice must not only be done in this tragedy, justice must also be seen to be done. It is in this light that Eugene Tiah’s appointment is completely unacceptable and any findings may be tainted by actual bias or apparent bias.

I urge the Trinidad and Tobago Energy Chamber to decide whether it’s a vehicle to lobby for the best interests of the energy sector or just an echo chamber of cheerleaders for this failing Rowley Government. It can’t be both.

Kamla Persad-Bissessar, SC, MP
Leader of the Opposition

7th March 2022

Executive Committee of the Energy Chamber of Trinidad and Tobago

Dwight Mahabir
Chairman Energy Chamber of Trinidad and Tobago
Chief Executive Officer
Damus Ltd.

Dr Thackwray Driver
President and Chief Executive Officer
Energy Chamber of Trinidad and Tobago

George Vieira
Vice-Chair (Upstream)
Energy Chamber of Trinidad and Tobago
President EOG Resources

Jerome Dookie
Vice-Chair (Downstream)
Energy Chamber of Trinidad and Tobago
Chief Executive Officer Caribbean Nitrogen

Ricardo Mahadeo
Vice-Chair (Energy Services)
Energy Chamber of Trinidad and Tobago
Chief Executive Officer TOSL Engineering

Claire Fitzpatrick
Secretary
Energy Chamber of Trinidad and Tobago
Regional President BP Trinidad and Tobago

Hafiz Ali
Treasurer
Energy Chamber of Trinidad and Tobago
Chief Executive Officer Weldfab

Ordinary Board Members

Ronald Adams
CEO Atlantic

Colin Bain
Managing Director & President
Methanex

Mala Baliraj-Dass
Chief Executive Officer
Massy Wood

Arlene Chow
Chief Executive Officer
Heritage Petroleum Company

Mark Loquan
President
National Gas Company of Trinidad and Tobago Ltd.

Eugene Okpere
Vice President & Country Chair
Shell Trinidad and Tobago

Pria Narinesingh
Country Managing Partner
EY

Dr Vernon Paltoo
President National Energy

Shaun Rampersad
Chief Operating Officer Ramps Logistics