PRIME Minister Stuart Young says government has done all it could to reopen the former Petrotrin refinery in Pointe-a-Pierre.
He said Oando, the Nigerian company interested in the refinery will bring back former Petrotrin workers and could use Nigerian crude oil to restart the refinery
He made these comments at a PNM meeting on Harris Promenade, San Fernando on April 2.
Young said the PNM restructured Petrotrin but did not close it.
"That is a lie."
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Young told PNM supporters not to believe anything to the contrary said by UNC leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar and OWTU president-general Ancel Roget who is part of the UNC's coalition of interests.
On February 27, then acting (now) Prime Minister Stuart Young announced Oando as the preferred bidder for the refinery.
He said the proposals from the short-listed bidders (CRO Consortium, INCA Energy LLC and Oando PLC) were examined by an evaluation committee and Cabinet sub-committee chaired by Housing Minister Camille Robinson-Regis.
He added that Trinidad Petroleum Holdings Ltd (TPHL) will begin talks with the Nigerian company for the lease of the refinery.
On its website, the company says it is one of Africa’s "leading energy solutions providers with a proud heritage. It has a primary listing on the Nigeria Stock Exchange and a secondary listing on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange. With shared values of teamwork, respect, integrity, passion and professionalism."
The OWTU previously unsuccessfully bid to acquire the refinery through its company Patriotic (Energies Company Ltd)."
Also at the meeting, PNM San Fernando West candidate Faris Al-Rawi claimed people in the Piarco Airport scandal have publicly admitted to wrongdoing under a UNC government.
Al-Rawi, a former AG who is also Rural Development and Local Government Minister, quoted excerpts from some of the letters.
One of those persons said, "What I did was wrong and I am sorry."
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Another person, Al-Rawi continued, admitting to undermining the procurement process for the project.
He claimed Persad-Bissessar, the former prime minister under the People's Partnership administration, prevented some $1 billion spent in that project from coming back to TT by taking no action to ensure it did.
Al-Rawi said this us why the UNC must be rejected at the polls on April 28.
PNM Siparia candidate Dr Natasha Mohammed, speaking at the meeting, said UNC leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar has abandoned her Siparia constituency.
"The people of Siparia want change."
Mohammed said Persad-Bissessar is an absentee leader and absentee MP. She observed Persad-Bissessar has not even declared herself as the UNC's Siparia candidate.
Mohammed said TT cannot have people who are in chaos to run its affairs.
She added to date, she is the only declared candidate for Siparia.
April 4 is nomination day.
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