OILFIELDS Workers Trade Union (OWTU) president-general Ancel Roget says the UNC made no promises to him or the union in exchange for it helping the party to try and win the April 28 general election.
He made these comments during a walkabout in Point Fortin in support of OWTU/UNC candidate Ernesto Kesar on April 22.
On December 12, UNC political leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar met with representatives of the Progressive Empowerment Party (PEP), Movement for National Development (MND), Congress of the People (COP), the OWTU, the Public Services Association (PSA), the Postal Workers Union and the Fire Services Association to discuss a coalition against the PNM.
A subsequent "coalition of interests" (CoI) was established between the UNC, PEP, Laventille Outreach for Vertical Enrichment (LOVE) leader Lennox Smith, COP and some members of the Joint Trade Union Movement (JTUM), such as the OWTU.
On February 19, Kesar and Clyde Elder were presented as the OWTU/UNC candidates for Point Fortin and La Brea respectively. On February 17, Persad-Bissessar said labour candidates who are part of the CoI will use the UNC logo as their own.
Asked whether the UNC promised the OWTU any rewards should it win the election, Roget said the union was not promised anything in exchange for its support for the UNC. "There are things we have to do and we are committed to doing."
Roget repeated one of these was restarting the refinery in Pointe-a-Pierre.
"The plan to restart the refinery and to rejuvenate all of these (oil) producing fields in Point Fortin and in surrounding areas will come from the UNC and its CoI."
While Persad-Bissessar has publicly promised the UNC will restart the refinery, if it wins the election, she has also said a UNC government will not do business with Nigerian company Oando PLC, which is in discussions with Trinidad Petroleum Holdings Ltd (TPHL) about restarting the refinery.
The OWTU previously unsuccessfully bid to acquire the refinery through its company Patriotic (Energies Company Ltd).
Roget also dismissed speculation he could either be appointed labour or energy minister in a UNC government.
"No. I am not seeing myself (in those positions)."
He repeated the trade union movement's only interest is defending the interest of the working class and the workers.
Asked if he believed the trade unions who are part of the UNC COI can bring the votes the UNC needs to win the election, Roget said, "We certainly believe so because we have been getting response from the different interests and so on."
Roget said Kesar, as a member of the OWTU's executive and a person familiar with Point Fortin, is poised to deliver jobs and quality representation to the constituency once he wins on April 28. "We are coming right down to the wire. We are going to burst the tape at top speed!"
Kesar, who unsuccessfully contested Point Fortin the August 2020 general election, was confident of victory this time.
"The campaign has been going excellent. The sentiments in Point Fortin are amazing." Kesar said the UNC/OWTU has been diligently preparing its election machinery.
He added at least 100 people have been walking with them daily.
"Election day is the only day you win elections."
