By Sue-Ann Wayow

ALMOST two years after a worker died after an explosion at the Niquan Energy Trinidad Ltd plant, the courts has ruled that the investigative report must be made public.

The oral ruling was delivered on Friday by Justice Avason Quinlan-Williams in a claim for judicial review brought by Sarah Ramkissoon, the widow of Allanlane Ramkissoon, who was a father of two children, Emily and Emma.

Quilan-Williams ruled that the Ministry of Energy and Energy Affairs which was then headed by former minister and prime minister Stuart Young acted unlawfully by refusing to disclose the report to Ramkissoon, 35 and the wider public.

Ramkissoon was represented by a legal team headed by attorney Anand Ramlogan SC.

In a statement, Energy Minister Dr Roodal Moonilal said, “I am shocked by the shameful abuse of power by my predecessor, Minister Stuart Young, in this matter. The High Court has found his actions to be illegal and in breach of the law.”

He said, “It is incredible that Stuart Young would backpaddle on his public promise and refuse to disclose this alleged report to the widow who is simply trying to get justice for the death of her husband and father of her two children.

“Young was more concerned about protecting NiQuan than assisting this mother in her quest for justice. They were more concerned about exposing NiQuan to public scrutiny because it would be yet another PNM mega project failure.”

Dr Moonilal said NiQuan was currently in receivership owing millions to workers and other stakeholders and very soon he will speak about  the tens of millions of US dollars owed to the people of Trinidad and Tobago by NiQuan.

Following the incident, Niquan was called upon by the Occupational Health and Safety Authority (OSHA) to cease all operations.

Dr Moonilal said he will further discuss the matter with Attorney General John Jeremie SC, to bring closure as soon as possible.

NiQuan was opened by former prime ministers Dr Keith Rowley and  Young with great public celebration and fanfare and was celebrated as a PNM milestone achievement in the energy sector.

Ramkissoon a Massy Energy Engineered Solutions Ltd worker was a pipefitter working on Niquan’s Pointe-a-Pierre plant when the explosion occurred on June 15, 2023. He died in Colombia three days later while being treated for severe burnt wounds.

There was public outrage over the government’s failure to address health and safety issues at NiQuan and Young announced an investigation by the ministry and promised to release the investigative report to the public in the interest of fairness and transparency.

Dr Moonilal also mentioned former independent senator David Small who had also won a landmark judgment against NiQuan for approximately $25 million, due to the mismanagement at NiQuan.

He said, “There will be no cover-up and protection by this Government over such scandals. I refuse to sweep such matters under the carpet.”

“Had the government not sheltered NiQuan and hide the ugly reality of its creeping corporate collapse, perhaps timely intervention could have saved the company the jobs of workers and Ms Ramkissoon’s husband would have been alive,” Dr Moonilal said.

He said, “Instead, today, NiQuan has burnt a hole in the balance sheet of local banks and foreign investors to the detriment of the energy sector and the economy. All of this was under the watch of Stuart Young who should hang his head in shame and stop issuing inane statements on energy matters.”