Senator Wade Mark has cryptically told Trinidad Petroleum Holdings Limited (TPHL) chairman Michael Quamina that he is not aware of what is happening in his company and may be in for a surprise soon.
Mark made the statement to Quamina yesterday, during a Public Accounts and Enterprises Committee (PAEC) inquiry into the audited consolidated financial statements of TPHL for the year ended September 30, 2019.
The rather cordial inquiry was turned on its head in the final 20 minutes when Mark, the PAEC chair, told Quamina, “There has been a breakdown in internal controls at this company.”
“Well, I wouldn’t…,” Quamina attempted to respond.
“Wait, wait,” Mark interrupted, gesturing for the TPHL head to allow him to speak, “We have the evidence here.”
“I wouldn’t term it a breakdown,” Quamina said.
However, Mark again cut him off, “Well, you may not call it a breakdown but what I am saying is that the evidence is showing that you have had a series of unauthorised payments of overtime.”
Mark said he would say no more, before shifting his query to the TPHL’s health and safety record.
TPHL has four subsidiaries—Heritage Petroleum Company Limited; Paria Fuel Trading Company Limited; Guaracara Refinery Limited and Petroleum Company of Trinidad and Tobago (Petrotrin).
Earlier in the sitting, Heritage Petroleum CEO Erik Keskula said, “We have seen a general improvement year over year with our overall recordable injury rate. Our total recordable rate for 2023, as an example, was about .92 so that is the number of injuries per 200,000 hours, and we work about four million man hours.”
However, a few minutes later, with tension now palpable in the Parliament, Mark asked Quamina if TPHL could outsource its health and safety responsibilities to an external company.
“Because you may be getting a surprise, because of the underreporting of accidents, safety and health issues that are not being brought to your attention. I say no more at this time, we will deal with these things separately,” Mark said.
Keskula responded and assured Mark that, “safety and Health is not outsourced, we have a very strong HSE culture as well as an HSE organisation that is led by a direct report of mine.”
Mark asked the Heritage CEO directly, “Are you categorically stating to this committee that as far as you are aware, safety and health within TPHL, and in this instance Heritage, is an internal function?”
Keskula said: “We will work on a comprehensive written response; a good example is we might have a contract doctor who rules on medical cases. When I look at safety overall, that is not outsourced.”
Mark then addressed Quamina and slowly said, “Mr chairman, you may not be aware of what is going on in your company. And I will have to bring it to your attention. But not today.”
At this point, PAEC member Keith Scotland advised Mark that this could be addressed at another meeting and suggested the questions be provided to TPHL beforehand.
However, Mark said the issues he raised were contained in the very same documents submitted by TPHL to the PAEC.
“This is not coming out of my head; it is coming out of this document. I am saying the reason we will do it separately is because we want to give the company adequate time to reflect on what they have submitted and to respond to queries,” Mark said.
The PAEC said it would deliberate on whether the next sitting should include each subsidiary of TPHL appearing separately to maximise the time needed for each company to respond to queries arising from their submitted documents.
The sitting was suspended soon after and will resume on a date to be determined by the PAEC.