fbpx
  • Latest
  • Trending
  • All
  • Opinions
  • Features
  • Letters
  • Videos
  • Editorials
  • Columns
Ramdath-jagessar

PNM SCORES MAJOR TRIUMPH OVER REFINERY OWTU TAKES SHATTERING DEFEAT

February 21, 2021
Dool Hanomansingh

Hindus are good for all societies

June 9, 2023
Dool Hanomansingh

Democratizing decision making in the diaspora

June 4, 2023
Ravi Balgobin Maharaj

Ravi B Maharaj of Trinidad Comments on … Clarifying Misconceptions

June 4, 2023
ADVERTISEMENT
Jai Lall

President Irfaan of Guyana is about Humanity

June 4, 2023
Paras Ramoutar

Words from laureate poem, Rabindranath Tagore resonates at 178th Indian Arrival Day in Trinidad and Tobago

June 4, 2023
Dinesh Rambally

Trinidad and Tobago Indian Arrival Day Message

June 3, 2023
Gary Griffith

Hinds throws TTPS officers in the Brent Thomas “abduction’ under the bus

June 3, 2023
New Book on Guyana

New Book on Guyana

June 3, 2023
THE SUMMER KICKS INTO HIGH GEAR WITH THE RETURN OF SAINT LUCIA CARNIVAL

THE SUMMER KICKS INTO HIGH GEAR WITH THE RETURN OF SAINT LUCIA CARNIVAL

June 3, 2023
Late Lieutenant Asap Ishoof of Guyana

Late Lieutenant Asad Ishoof of Guyana

June 3, 2023
gary-griffith

Call for Observers for Local Elections in Trinidad

June 2, 2023
Leyland-Chitlall-Roopnaraine

A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT AGAINST THE Guyana GOV’T

June 2, 2023
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact Us
  • Terms and Condition
Friday, June 9, 2023
  • Login
Indo Caribbean Diaspora News
  • Home
  • Columns
    Gary Griffith

    Hinds throws TTPS officers in the Brent Thomas “abduction’ under the bus

    gary-griffith

    Call for Observers for Local Elections in Trinidad

    Jai Lall

    The 18th Chinese Medical Brigade at Leonora, Guyana

    HAPPY INDIAN ARRIVAL DAY 2023 Trinidad and Tobago

    HAPPY INDIAN ARRIVAL DAY 2023 Trinidad and Tobago

    Dr. Vishnu Bisram

    Understanding US Debt Ceiling

    Gary Griffith

    Police must have militarized training to confront terrorists

    Dr. Vishnu Bisram

    India-Suriname Ties: Celebrating 150 Years

    Kamla-Persad-Bissessar

    Trinidad and Tobago Kamla on the Occasion of Indian Arrival Day

    Gary Griffith

    No Keith Rowley, it’s about results, not race in Trinidad & Tobago

    Lester Siddhartha Orie

    FCB Stole Our Weekend

  • Letters
    Jai Lall

    President Irfaan of Guyana is about Humanity

    Jai Lall

    Why is there political uneasiness in Guyana?

    Jai Lall

    Pun on Guyana’s Press Association (GPA)

    Jai Lall

    A trail of trials, traumas and tribulations

    Ravi Balgobin Maharaj

    Trinidad and Tobago Police Service Gibberish

    Leyland-Chitlall-Roopnaraine

    JUSTICE KISSOON’S DECISION PRESENTS GUYANA WITH A GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY FOR A BETTER OIL DEAL

    N.Sahadeo

    Arrival Day is Gross Disrespect to Indians in Guyana

    Jai Lall

    Freddie Kissoon, a friend of Guyana’s 

    Vassan Ramracha

    GULF STATES OIL AND GUYANA.

    Israel Khan & UNC

    Israel Khan & UNC

  • Community News
    Paras Ramoutar

    Words from laureate poem, Rabindranath Tagore resonates at 178th Indian Arrival Day in Trinidad and Tobago

    New Book on Guyana

    New Book on Guyana

    THE SUMMER KICKS INTO HIGH GEAR WITH THE RETURN OF SAINT LUCIA CARNIVAL

    THE SUMMER KICKS INTO HIGH GEAR WITH THE RETURN OF SAINT LUCIA CARNIVAL

    Late Lieutenant Asap Ishoof of Guyana

    Late Lieutenant Asad Ishoof of Guyana

    Memorial Service in Queens for Guyana Fire Victims

    Memorial Service in Queens for Guyana Fire Victims

    Guyanese grants Scholarships to Richmond Hill, Queens Students

    Guyanese grants Scholarships to Richmond Hill, Queens Students

    Veena with Judge Andrea Ogle and Judge Karen Gopee

    Showcasing the Accomplishments of Indo Caribbean Trailblazers at Queens Book Fair

    Indian Arrival in the USA

    Indian Arrival in the USA

    Lester Siddhartha Orie

    The Hindu Kennedy written by L. Siddhartha Orie

    HAPPY 90TH BIRTHDAY BASDEO PANDAY

    HAPPY 90TH BIRTHDAY BASDEO PANDAY

  • Editorials
    ANUG Meets USA Ambassador

    ANUG Meets USA Ambassador

    Jai Lall

    Guyana Govt Region 3 Outreach

    kamla-persad-bissessar

    Kamla Writes Chief Justice of Trinidad and Tobago; Slams Judge

    Ramnarine-Sahadeo

    IndIa and GIrmItIya CountrIes also Deserve Apology/Reparations

    Harry Hergash

    Is Mayor Narine preparing for APNU #2 spot in Guyana 

    Vassan Ramracha

    Response to Tacoma Ogunseye of Guyana

    Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos Islands

    Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos Islands

    Dr. Vishnu Bisram

    Dr Vishnu Bisram is the most deserving candidate for the post of High Commissioner to India

    Dr. Vishnu Bisram

    DR VISHNU BISRAM IS VERY QUALIFIED CANDIDATE FOR AMBASSADOR’S POST TO INDIA

    Jai Lall

    Assessing West Indies cricket

  • Opinions
    Dool Hanomansingh

    Hindus are good for all societies

    Dool Hanomansingh

    Democratizing decision making in the diaspora

    Ravi Balgobin Maharaj

    Ravi B Maharaj of Trinidad Comments on … Clarifying Misconceptions

    Dinesh Rambally

    Trinidad and Tobago Indian Arrival Day Message

    Leyland-Chitlall-Roopnaraine

    A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT AGAINST THE Guyana GOV’T

    Dool Hanomansingh

    Leaders must curb their egos or perish

    Phillip Alexander

    PEP’s Indian Arrival Day Message

    Ravi Balgobin Maharaj

    Ravi Balgobin Maharaj Explains attack on Kamla

    Jai Lall

    The cost of freedom in Guyana

    Swam-Vivekananda

    A Hindu Perspective on Development

  • Videos
    Dool-Hanomansingh-003

    US Congress woman Tulsi Gabbard condemns the ongoing genocide of Hindus and other minorities

    Geeta-Vaahini

    Geeta Vaahini, President of the  Hindu Prachaar Kendra speaks on the social significance of Ganga Dhara Festival.

    Geeta-Vaahini

    Geeta Vaahini, President of the Hindu Prachaar Kendra speaks on the Hindu view of the environment.

    swami-brahmadeo

    Swami Brahmadeo – Hindus are top CEOs and Medics in North America and Europe

    Gowtam-Maharaj

    Gowtam Maharaj, a farmer of Barrackpore, South Trinidad, shares his challenges being a farmer.

    BAMBOO #1 Flooding – Frustrated Residents

    BAMBOO #1 Flooding – Frustrated Residents

    NATIONAL-LOTUS-THEATRE

    NATIONAL LOTUS THEATRE – Performance of Niyantran

    radica-jairam

    Story of RADICA JAIRAM from Orange Valley

    fisherman-trinidad

    Families of Orange Valley felt neglected by PNM Government

    Dr Subramanian Swamy

    Dr Subramanian Swamy – Dharma Rising London April 2015

  • Features
    Hariji

    Friends of Hariji celebrate IAD with choka and sada

    fiji-map

    Guyana’ Syria Ship Wreck off coast of Fiji

    Guyana’s Ruel Johnson Comments on Mahdia Tragedy

    Guyana’s Ruel Johnson Comments on Mahdia Tragedy

    Dr. Vishnu Bisram

    Poll Finds Show Landslide PPP Victory for June Local Elections

    Candle Light Vigil in Leonara, Guyana for Arson Fire Victims

    Candle Light Vigil in Leonara, Guyana for Arson Fire Victims

    At Reconciliation Service in Fiji

    At Reconciliation Service in Fiji

    Ravi Balgobin Maharaj

    VICTORY FOR THE PEOPLE! VICTORY FOR Trinidad & Tobago at London Privy Council

    New Civic NGO Launched in Guyana

    New Civic NGO Launched in Guyana

    ROMANCING WITH CINEMA BOOK PUBLISHING PHOTO 01

    Romancing with Girmityas

    Leyland-Chitlall-Roopnaraine

    THE E-ID IS LACED WITH INCONSISTENCIES

No Result
View All Result
Indo Caribbean Diaspora News
No Result
View All Result

PNM SCORES MAJOR TRIUMPH OVER REFINERY OWTU TAKES SHATTERING DEFEAT

by Ramdath Jagessar
February 21, 2021
in Opinions
0
Ramdath-jagessar

Photo : Ramdath Jagessar

85
SHARES
942
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Like it or not, you must admit Keith Rowley’s PNM has avoided an election defeat in August 2020 over the refinery closure bacchanal, used its old enemy the OWTU to do it, and Rowley has now dropped a Saturday night ‘bull pistle’ on Roget’s union.

You don’t see it? Let me elucidate how some Trinis are seeing it from Canada.

Closing down the refinery, the country’s major source of foreign exchange, just two years before the 2020 election, was a disaster that could well have caused the PNM to lose that election. Handing over the government owned refinery to a foreign company to restart would have been just as bad, and caused even the PNM base to rebel.

Rowley avoided the whammy by appearing to sell the refinery to a Trinidad entity the OWTU under exceedingly friendly conditions. Notice I said appearing to sell. He basically gave away a billion dollar refinery to his old enemy the OWTU for $700 million, on no deposit, no payment for 3 years, and government guarantee for loan to refurbish the plant. What could be better? That they were giving the refinery to an enemy showed there was no favouritism to PNM insiders. The public lapped it up, and especially the PNM base, the only group that mattered to the PNM, the group that could have cost them the election by withdrawing support over the refinery closing disaster.

The OWTU jumped at the opportunity to get into the biggest of big business in Trinidad, the oil business, on such favourable terms. People keep saying the black man can’t run big business, we will show them, said Roget and company. They couldn’t lose. They had a contract. They would use OPM other people money to re-open the refinery, re-hire all them retrenched refinery workers and recover those thousands of union dues. The loss of 4,500 monthly union dues out of 11,000 union members would be reversed.

Unfortunately for him, union boss Roget took his own advice instead of that from Trevor Farrell and other top level economists. Roget had no experience in government and he was going up against Rowley who had plenty and also busloads of quality advisers. He didn’t ask why his enemy was being so kind to him.

And so the Rowley government played out the negotiations for the sale and final transfer of the refinery right through the election and avoided the voter blowback over the refinery issue to pull out a narrow election victory.

Now there was no need to play nice with Mr Roget and his Patriotic rubbish, as Rowley had clear sailing to 2025. Told Roget the sale of the refinery was conditional on your meeting these conditions to be judged by us, and we find you haven’t met said conditions, sale is off, close the door when you leave.

Shock and awe indeed. Roget realizes there’s nothing he can do. The big money he spent preparing for the handover and refurbishing of the refinery cannot be recovered. The retrenched workers are not coming back with their juicy union dues. Rowley has handed Roget his head on a platter.

Now Rowley can do as he likes and sell the refinery to whomever he pleases whether local or foreign.

What else can you call it but a PNM triumph and an OWTU humiliation?

Facebook Comments Box
Tags: Dr. Keith RowleyOil RefineryOWTUOWTU humiliationPNMRamdath JagessarTrinidad and Tobago
Share34Tweet21Share9
ADVERTISEMENT
Ramdath Jagessar

Ramdath Jagessar

  • Trending
  • Comments
  • Latest
Dool Hanomansingh

Democratizing decision making in the diaspora

June 4, 2023
Phillip Alexander

PEP’s Indian Arrival Day Message

June 1, 2023
Ravi Balgobin Maharaj

Ravi B Maharaj of Trinidad Comments on … Clarifying Misconceptions

June 4, 2023
Late Lieutenant Asap Ishoof of Guyana

Late Lieutenant Asad Ishoof of Guyana

June 3, 2023
Dool Hanomansingh

Hindus are good for all societies

June 9, 2023
Dool Hanomansingh

Democratizing decision making in the diaspora

June 4, 2023
Ravi Balgobin Maharaj

Ravi B Maharaj of Trinidad Comments on … Clarifying Misconceptions

June 4, 2023
Jai Lall

President Irfaan of Guyana is about Humanity

June 4, 2023

The most important world news and events of the day.

Get ICDN daily newsletter on your inbox.

ADVERTISEMENT
Indo Caribbean Diaspora News

© 2022 Indo-Caribbean Diaspora News. All rights Reserved

Navigate Site

  • About
  • Advertise
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact Us
  • Terms and Condition

Follow Us

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Columns
  • Letters
  • Community News
  • Opinions
  • Videos
  • Features
  • Editorials

© 2022 Indo-Caribbean Diaspora News. All rights Reserved

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In