Scandalous Allegations: Rowley Government’s Covert Dealings with Naveen Jindal and Maduro Regime
A Jindal-PDVSA deal was reached in Caracas in mid-April 2024 to operate oil fields in the Orinoco Belt. In June 2024, two months after securing an oil deal with the Maduro Government in April 2024, corruption and money laundering accused Naveen Jindal is now the Rowley Governments favoured bidder for the Pointe A Pierre refinery complex.
Why has it not been disclosed to our citizens that Trinidadian officials have been meeting with Naveen Jindal and Venezuelan officials for discussions over the past months?
The Rowley Government has been caught in a scandalous deal to gift the taxpayer owned Pointe a Pierre Refinery to corruption and money laundering accused Naveen Jindal in order to facilitate the processing of Venezuelan crude oil for the Maduro Government.
No amount of deflection and lies by Rowley and his Government can change the facts, which are:
1. Naveen Jindal is on bail in India for corruption and money laundering charges.
2. Rowley is on record as saying that Jindal’s visit to him at the Diplomatic Centre on June 17, 2024, was a result of his visit to India in May 2024. This is patently untrue.
3. Rowley also suggested that June 17, 2024, was the first time his government was meeting with Jindal and therefore he was unaware of Jindal’s corruption and money laundering charges. Again, this is patently untrue.
4. It is confirmed that Energy Minister Young who is also a minister in the office of the Prime Minister has been meeting with Naveen Jindal since March 2023.
5. Rowley has claimed that Naveen Jindal has access to a crude oil supply for the Petrotrin refinery but provided no information as to the origin of this crude oil feedstock.
6. A Jindal-PDVSA deal was reached in Caracas in mid-April 2024 to operate fields in the Orinoco Belt, hours before the US announced the imminent reimposition of sanctions.
7. Jindal executives agreed to partner with Petroleos de Venezuela SA in the oil-rich Orinoco Belt to operate the Petrocedeno Venture.
India’s Jindal Is Said to Join Venezuelan State Oil Venture (yahoo.com)
8. In June 2024, two months after securing an oil deal with the Maduro Government in April 2024, corruption accused Jindal is now the Rowley Governments favoured bidder for the Pointe A Pierre refinery complex.
Rowley must explain to the country:
1. Who is speaking untruths about the timelines regarding meetings with Naveen Jindal, is it Minister Young or Prime Minister Rowley?
2. Is the crude oil that Naveen Jindal is sourcing for the Pointe A Pierre refinery originating from the Venezuelan oilfields that Jindal has agreed to operate in conjunction with PDVSA?
3. Is Jindal a go-between for the Maduro and Rowley Governments?
4. Is it the Maduro Government who introduced Naveen Jindal to the Rowley Government?
5. Why has it not been disclosed to our citizens that Trinidadian officials have been meeting with Naveen Jindal and Venezuelan officials for discussions over the past months?
6. Is the Maduro Government through PDVSA covertly involved with Naveen Jindal in the acquisition of the Pointe a Pierre refinery?
7. Whether through the Rowley Governments scandalous deal with Naveen Jindal, will the Maduro Government be able to process Venezuelan crude oil at Pointe a Pierre and escape US sanctions?
The Rowley Government has again been caught lying regarding covert dealings with the Madro Regime. I reiterate that this refinery deal appears to be a corrupt and scandalous arrangement between the Maduro Government and the Rowley Government facilitated by the border hopping corruption accused Naveen Jindal.
Kamla Persad-Bissessar SC, MP
Leader of the Opposition
Parliament of Trinidad and Tobago,