MP Lee Questions Transparency in Petrojam Deal: Hidden Agendas?
Energy Minister Stuart Young’s explanation that the recent Petrojam deal, is based on a strengthening bilateral relations and aligns with CARICOM objectives is simply absurd, nonsensical and defies logic.
Spin doctoring this deal under the disguise of regional diplomacy or regional integration will not hide the fact that Young’s government has totally broken the energy safety net and energy security of this nation through their shut-down of Petrotrin to the point that we have to depend on Jamaica for fuel.
Even more important, bilateral relations must not be used as an excuse to avoid transparency. The Minister of Energy must clearly state how Petrojam was selected for this specific deal. The Minister of Energy must state if Petrojam’s prices are cheaper than the prices paid for the fuel that has been imported since the closure of Petrotrin. The Minister of Energy must state what makes this deal with Petrojam beneficial to our citizens over previous fuel purchase deals. Is this Petrojam deal based on benefits to our citizens or is it to benefit some family or friend? Is there more in this Petrojam deal than meets the eye?
Trinidad and Tobago was one of the major fuel suppliers to the entire CARICOM region and it is simply delusional and insulting to the people of this nation for Young to offer the ridiculous excuse that “We could not refine this product profitably in the way we are purchasing and selling it now”, .
It was the PNM and Malcom Jones who placed Petrotrin in billions of debts. Petrotrin was profitable up to its very last year of operation making 1.7 billion in profit. Petrotrin was even producing more oil than Heritage is presently doing, yet it became a political victim of the PNM. More damning beyond the destruction of our century old regional pride of being the Caribbean’s premier energy giant is the destruction of our ability to be self-sufficient. This regional embarrassment must be bolted to the PNM’s failed energy policy in the last decade.