By Sue-Ann Wayow
ENERGY Minister Stuart Young has slammed the Opposition United National Congress (UNC) for what he says is taking delight in a safety incident with one of the multinational oil and gas companies operating in Trinidad and Tobago.
He said in a Facebook post on Sunday, “Once again in a display of a complete lack of understanding and appreciation of the energy sector, the UNC opposition has come out celebrating an unfortunate and untimely safety incident with one of the multinational oil and gas companies operating in Trinidad and Tobago.”
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Young also said Pointe-a-Pierre Member of Parliament David Lee, was “a disgraced member of parliament” leading the UNC’s celebrations of a disruption in natural gas supply to the country’s petrochemical plants “is to be rejected outrightly.”
He said, “The population should take careful note that the UNC opposition continues to take some sort of distasteful delight and joy in celebrating any unfortunate events and incidents that befall our beloved country. As a citizen of Trinidad and Tobago I condemn this behaviour and reject it.”
Young said that one of the major oil and gas upstream suppliers operating had an issue at its operations which led to it shutting in its production and operations in accordance with normal, accepted safety processes.
When this was done, the company informed the National Gas Company of Trinidad and Tobago (NGC) and himself of the issues.
“These types of unplanned safety incidents require proper diagnose and assessment by the operator and that process is currently underway,” Young stated.
At the earliest possible time both the Ministry of Energy and Energy Industries and NGC informed the public that unfortunately, an untimely incident had occurred which has led to a significant disruption in the supply of natural gas. The ministry and NGC released carefully worded announcements even before the said company did, he said.
Young said, “The upstream multinational oil and gas company is working around the clock to restore its production and supply of natural gas. As and when there are further updates that can be provided they will be provided.”
Lee, in a media release last week said, “It is appalling that three years after the massive shutdown of a record number of downstream plants at Point Lisas due to gas supply, Minister Young, through his failure to undertake any proper action, policy, measure, or innovation to increase gas supply has allowed yet another gas crisis to threaten T&T.”
He said, “As a matter of fact, this incident is a product of Minister Young’s failed approach to gas production during his tenure which has been marked by unattractive bid rounds, lack of proper incentives and the inability of T&T to attract new investment into gas production.”
