By Chantalé Flecther
PETROTRIN retiree of 15 years, Victor Joseph says he and his wife are dependent on his medical treatment for their survival.
The Oilfield Workers Trade Union (OWTU), its President Ancel Roget and Petrotrin retirees gathered in Port of Spain to condemn Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley for failure to respond to a letter that highlighted the urgent situations facing retirees.
Joseph said he joined Texaco in 1971 and retired after 37-and-a-half years of service.
He said, “Since the closed down of the refinery and the absence of a good medical plan, I have lost quite a few close comrades who got their demise because of being able to get the medical attention they needed.”
Joseph said, “I am one year older than the PM, so when I was struggling in 1971, he too was struggling. In 2015, when he was in Opposition the last biggest meeting was from the (Queen’s Park) Savannah to Brian Lara Promenade.
He said, “He walked with us, he held hands with members of the Central executive, he promised in his speech on the promenade that he would assist the union because of the difficulties received from the other political party.”
Joseph said the prime minister has now turned his back on them and the retirees suffered the most.
He said, “We are suffering because the premium for a medical plan was now $1,200 and $1,500 a month.”
He said that his medication cost him approximately $1,500 to $1,800 per month from his pension for both himself and his spouse.
Joseph called on the “powers that be” to contribute to the pension plan to prevent it from falling by the wayside.
Meanwhile, Roget said their delivery of the letter, there has been no acknowledgment or response towards the workers’ matters, who once contributed to national development.
He demanded those who contributed should be treated with the utmost respect and therefore that disrespect would not be tolerated.
Roget said, “For those who are not a former Petrotrin worker or retiree, when you disrespect one senior citizen, you disrespect all senior citizens in the country.”
He said the prime minister was a human being like everybody else and was afforded the best medical care, which was paid for by taxpayers but more consciously by oilfield workers who made their contributions.
Roget said, “Have a heart and come down from your ivory towers, and stop the disrespect.
He said, “Retirees suffering, people suffering, Trinbagonians suffering, that is your business prime minister, and therefore, we call on you to address that.”
Roget called on Dr Rowley to respond and begin some engagement to ensure measures are put back in place to secure the pension plan and take care of retirees.
