Kejan Haynes
Prime Minister Kamla Persad Bissessar promised the labour movement on Labour Day 2025 she will establish a committee to explore reopening the Guaracara refinery.
“It is a commitment we made — we will consider and explore what we can do to open that refinery,” Persad Bissessar said. “We have agreed to establish a committee to develop a strategy to reactivate the Guaracara refinery. Your representatives will be on that committee together with our experts, but we have to go in there and assess what is there.”
“Do I have your permission to set up this committee to explore the strategies for opening that refinery, reopening?” she asked the crowd.
She said she would meet with Ancel Roget within 10 days to finalise the committee’s formation and expected a report within two months.
“Remember, always, good things come for those who wait. I gave you the commitment that we reconsider and work with your representatives to make sure the best in fulfilling our workers’ agenda,” she added.
Persad Bissessar described her background: “I am not the 1%. I am one of you. I have come just like you from the working class, and sometimes no working class because you had no job. I understand what it is because I’ve been there, done that.”
Patriotic Energies and Technologies Ltd, led by Ancel Roget, had previously made several bids to acquire the Guaracara refinery.
The company won the bid in 2019 but failed to secure the necessary financing.
Government officials rejected Patriotic’s proposals because the company could not overcome a US$500 million lien on the refinery.
Patriotic’s final proposal, which addressed the lien issue without requiring government funds, was not accepted.
Then Minister of Energy Stuart Young said documents submitted by Patriotic to prove financing were fraudulent.
Young said the government’s evaluation committee found that Patriotic could not meet the financial requirements, including submitting a fake document claiming a US$1.5 billion cash wire transfer.