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| File: Kevin Ramnarine, Energy Minister |
The story contains inaccuracies that could cause great harm not only to the reputation of the Ministry of Energy and Energy Affairs but to the ability of our country to attract investment.
The article's content and the misinformation therein was further amplified by an editorial in the Express of April 23, 2012, captioned "Worrying affairs at Energy Ministry".
The article's content and the misinformation therein was further amplified by an editorial in the Express of April 23, 2012, captioned "Worrying affairs at Energy Ministry".
Both these articles quote a number of "thirty" as the number of persons leaving the Ministry of Energy "in recent days". It is mind-boggling to think that 30 persons would leave an organisation "in recent days".
It is also, indeed, passing strange that these two articles were printed just before and on the same day of the public launch of the deep-water bidding round. One can only wonder whether this was calculated to cause damage to the Government's efforts to attract investment. I would sincerely hope this is not the case.
Let me categorically state there has not been an exodus of 30 employees from the Ministry of Energy and Energy Affairs "in recent days". The records of the Ministry of Energy indicate that from November 2011 to April 23 2012, the following obtains:
It is also, indeed, passing strange that these two articles were printed just before and on the same day of the public launch of the deep-water bidding round. One can only wonder whether this was calculated to cause damage to the Government's efforts to attract investment. I would sincerely hope this is not the case.
Let me categorically state there has not been an exodus of 30 employees from the Ministry of Energy and Energy Affairs "in recent days". The records of the Ministry of Energy indicate that from November 2011 to April 23 2012, the following obtains:
- Five staff members have left because of compulsory retirement (ie, they have attained the chronological age of 60)
- Three persons have resigned from the Ministry of Energy
- Of the six directors whose contracts expired, three resumed duties in their substantive Public Service offices. Two of these are currently on the ministry's staff at a senior level, and the other retired having attained the compulsory retirement age. Of the other three, one has been retained as a consultant
- Four persons have had their contracts expire, and these contracts have not been renewed for various reasons, including the fact that they have moved on to new jobs
The April 22, 2012 article mentions resignations from a senior geophysicist, a senior geologist and a senior state counsel. Please note that for the period under review, the ministry has only received one resignation letter from a senior geophysicist and has not received any letter of resignation from a senior geologist or a senior state counsel.
You would no doubt appreciate that all organisations lose staff from time to time. This is actually a challenge also faced by media houses. There will always be a turnover of staff in Government ministries and businesses. People come and they go.
You would no doubt appreciate that all organisations lose staff from time to time. This is actually a challenge also faced by media houses. There will always be a turnover of staff in Government ministries and businesses. People come and they go.
The Ministry of Energy interfaces with the highest-paying sector of our national economy, and naturally, people would be attracted by the better compensation that is offered in the wider energy sector.
In furtherance of a strategy to retain professional staff, the ministry is in the process of reviewing the "professional allowance" our professional staff receives, in an effort to bring some parity between the salaries at the ministry and the wider energy sector. In order to strengthen its skills and capacity, the ministry has also seconded highly skilled and experienced professionals from Petrotrin.
The editorial of April 23, 2012 also expresses concern about the advice that I receive. While I understand your newspaper's concerns about the advice I receive, you can rest assured that I have experienced and qualified advisers, with decades of experience in geology, engineering and economics.
The April 22 Sunday Express article also cited an unnamed "energy executive" who took issue with the quality of the boards that lead our nation's energy-based State enterprises.
In furtherance of a strategy to retain professional staff, the ministry is in the process of reviewing the "professional allowance" our professional staff receives, in an effort to bring some parity between the salaries at the ministry and the wider energy sector. In order to strengthen its skills and capacity, the ministry has also seconded highly skilled and experienced professionals from Petrotrin.
The editorial of April 23, 2012 also expresses concern about the advice that I receive. While I understand your newspaper's concerns about the advice I receive, you can rest assured that I have experienced and qualified advisers, with decades of experience in geology, engineering and economics.
The April 22 Sunday Express article also cited an unnamed "energy executive" who took issue with the quality of the boards that lead our nation's energy-based State enterprises.
The State enterprises for which the Ministry of Energy have line responsibility are led by boards that comprise highly qualified and experienced nationals. As Minister of Energy, I have the highest regard for the boards that report to me.
While I appreciate the Express's concern for the national energy sector, one would hope that similar concern will be applied to the manner in which Petrotrin, under the watch of the previous administration, spent more than $2.7 billion in what is now a failed gas-to-liquids project. I cannot recall ever seeing an Express editorial on this matter.
In light of the foregoing, I ask that you publish this letter in its entirety and give it the same prominence as the related article in the Sunday Express and the editorial that followed.
Kevin C Ramnarine | Minister of Energy and Energy Affairs
While I appreciate the Express's concern for the national energy sector, one would hope that similar concern will be applied to the manner in which Petrotrin, under the watch of the previous administration, spent more than $2.7 billion in what is now a failed gas-to-liquids project. I cannot recall ever seeing an Express editorial on this matter.
In light of the foregoing, I ask that you publish this letter in its entirety and give it the same prominence as the related article in the Sunday Express and the editorial that followed.
Kevin C Ramnarine | Minister of Energy and Energy Affairs
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