Ancel Roget and Lindsay Gillette met for two hours at the Ministry of Energy and Energy Affairs office at the International Waterfront Centre for discussions on how both sides could work together for the benefit of the state energy company.
Seepersad-Bachan had given Petrotrin six months to reform itself and set a course to profitability. She told reporters is is crucial that the OWTU, the board and management at Petrotrin begin working together.
"The Government has taken the view that if there is a way that we can intervene and try to mediate in an attempt to bring the parties together to sit down and talk and negotiate through their difference then we will do so. I have taken it upon myself to take the responsibility for this," she said
"Petrotrin has become an important cornerstone to the economy. This means that the employees, the citizens, and our economy are heavily dependent on its success. This is why I feel that the time for the public smears, the tempers, the back and forth and arguments and the hardline refusal to meet in the middle must come to an end," she added.
One of the other issues raised at the meeting was Petrotrin's health and safety practices, which Seepersad-Bachan said is cause for concern.
"We are also reviewing all the health and safety practices at Petrotrin because I understand from my own ministry here that there are several questions being raised.
"On Monday the chairman of the board of directors will be meeting with management to discuss the issues of the culpability of personnel involved in last weekend's fire at the refinery."
She pledged to take "a serious stance where that is concerned. I do not intend to have any fatalities under my watch."
No one was injured in the fire. However Roget blamed the management for what happened.
Roget was one of the people who objected to Gilette's appointment. Gilette had served briefly as Energy Minister in the Panday UNC government and labour representatives had serious issues with his performance.
However, following the meeting Saturday he said his union is willing to work with Gillette.
"We still have our reservations but we had open and frank discussions. The chairman indicated that he is going to adopt an open-minded approach to a lot of the issues raised by the union," he said.
"On the last occasion we did not have the opportunity so therein lies the apprehension. The proof will be in the eating of the pudding going forward," Roget said.
Gillette promised to work with the union to return Petrotrin to profitability.
"I fully appreciate the openness of the OWTU. We agreed on three things in principle, we need to get the oil production up, and up fast. We agreed that management must be in harmony with the OWTU and if that does not happen the first one will not occur."
No comments:
Post a Comment