Senior Political Reporter
Acting Prime Minister Stuart Young has reiterated that Indian businessman Naveen Jindal pulled out of the Petrotrin refinery bid due to attacks from the United National Congress.
Young indicated this while responding in Parliament on Monday to a query filed by Opposition MP Dr Roodal Moonilal and subsequent questions from Opposition Chief Whip David Lee.
He quoted Jindal as saying, “The behaviour of those in Opposition who put themselves forward as a ‘government-in-waiting’ is not one that would attract any business to T&T.”
The United National Congress had asked whether the Government or any of its agencies has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) or other statement of intent with the Indian-based Jindal Steel and Power Ltd concerning the sale or lease of the former Petrotrin Refinery.
Young said as Prime Minister, Dr Keith Rowley had announced recently that neither Government nor any of its agencies has entered into an MOU with Jindal Steel and Power Limited on this. He noted that Rowley had also read Jindal’s letter.
“(This) expressed disappointment in the strongest possible terms—Mr Jindal being an elected Member of Parliament in India—in the behaviour of the (T&T) Opposition, equating it to a party that did not want foreign investment. For that we are saddened, but that is the behaviour, unfortunately, that this country is saddled with by those on the other side (Opposition UNC),” Young added.
On whether Jindal had presented an offer on the refinery, Young said, “Mr Jindal made it abundantly clear before the expiry of the date for the Requests for Proposals to come that he would not be participating due to the behaviour of those on the other side (UNC).”
Young rubbished Lee’s query on why Jindal was “brought to T&T if it wasn’t to make an offer for the refinery.”
Young explained, “Mr Jindal wasn’t ‘brought’ into T&T. In fact, the substantive Prime Minister made it clear on many occasions that Mr Jindal, being one of the leading businessmen in India, when he heard of the Prime Minister’s visit a few months ago to India and the Prime Minister’s opening of T&T up to any Indian businessman’s willingness to invest in T&T, Mr Jindal on hearing that, expressed an interest in the refinery that’s available in T&T.
“And it is as a result that he made his way to T&T to expressly engage with the Government and to indicate his interest in looking at the refinery.”
He added, “However, due to the behaviour of those on the other side (UNC,) as is now well documented in a dark day in our history, Mr Jindal declined the opportunity to invest in T&T and his letter accurately documents the behaviour that drove him away.”
Lee asked if Young was saying Jindal didn’t put in an offer because he was “fearful” of the UNC. Young replied, “It is not that which he said. Mr Jindal, being an experienced businessman and also a politician and member of parliament, said the behaviour of those who put themselves forward as a ‘government-in-waiting’ is not one that would attract any business and certainly not his business investment in T&T at this time ... solely due to the behaviour of those on the other side (UNC).”
No selection of buyer
for rice mill
On a query by Mayaro MP Rushton Paray on whether a decision has been made to divest the rice mill at Carlsen Field, Trade Minister Paula Gopee-Scoon said discussions with interested parties are purely exploratory at this time and Government has not selected any purchaser.
She noted that in 2016, Cabinet agreed the rice mill would be divested with the guidance of the Finance Ministry, in collaboration with National Enterprises Ltd (NEL) and the National Flour Mills (NFM) Ltd. In 2017, via public advertisement, NFM issued a tender inviting applicants to submit proposals for the mill’s divestment.
“Bids were submitted by four local investors. However, after a thorough evaluation, none of these were accepted by the Government at that time,” Gopee-Scoon added.
Given the importance of the mill in facilitating T&T’s food security, she said the Ministries of Agriculture and Trade, through NFM, are exploring the possibility of revitalising and modernising the rice industry involving rice milling and packaging.
Gopee-Scoon noted that following Rowley’s visit to India in May, an Indian investment delegation visited T&T in June to explore opportunities and areas for collaboration.
Subsequently, another delegation, which included senior representatives of HAFED, an Indian company, also visited this country. She said HAFED, which has 17 district offices and 19 processing mills in India, is the largest apex cooperative federation of Haryana State in India. During the mission, the NFM hosted a meeting and site visit with HAFED representatives and the ministries to discuss rice milling and other opportunities.
But she said discussions with interested parties are purely exploratory.
One switch damaged by ruptured line at Health Ministry headquarters
Also in Parliament on Monday, Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh said only one ethernet switch was damaged by the ruptured water line at the ministry’s new head office at Queen’s Park East, Port-of-Spain, on June 18.
He was asked by Cumuto/Manzanilla MP Dr Rai Ragbir for details of what was damaged when the water line ruptured, allowing rainwater to come into the building. The ministry was closed and it took took a few days to rectify the issue.