Caption: Former prime minister Stuart Young at the World Cup Qualifier between T&T and St Kitts and Nevis at the Hasely Crawford Stadium on Friday
By: Alicia Chamely
FORMER prime minister and minister of energy Stuart Young has described as “misplaced” and “ironic” comments made by Energy Minister Roodal Moonilal on a High Court Ruling regarding a 2023 incident that took place at the Niquan Plant.
Young said, “Yesterday was the first day that Minister Moonilal seems to have found his comfort zone on something, and ironically it was to issue a statement about a court decision on a Freedom of Information request of the Ministry of Energy.”
He added, “One could not help but smile at the irony of Moonilal only being comfortable to comment when it comes to a matter in court, a place with which he is personally well familiar.”
Young defended the decision made by the Ministry of Energy and Energy Affairs, while under his tenure, not to release the report on the fatal Niquan incident, which claimed the life of Allanlane Ramkissoon, 35.
He said the ministry’s decision was properly handled and was guided by state attorneys and senior counsel.
Young noted, what was not mentioned was Niquan, the company that would be affected by the report, refused to consent to the release of the report.
This, he said, “Could have exposed the Ministry of Energy and arguably its staff members to liability should the report have been released.”
Young said, “If the High Court has now ordered that the report be provided, then that is a matter for the Ministry of Energy to consider and carry out.”
He ended, “Moonilal believed that he could throw some shade, but it is not well-founded, in fact, unsurprisingly, it is misplaced, as the matter was being properly handled for the Ministry of Energy by experienced Senior Counsel and state attorneys.”
Background
On Friday, Justice Avason Quinlan-Williams, ruled it was in the favour of the public’s best interest that the report into Ramkisson’s death be made public.
Ramkisson’s widow, Sarah Ramkissoon, had requested a judicial review of the Ministry’s refusal to release the report after her request in November 2023 under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).
In her ruling Quinlan-Williams said, “There is public interest in disclosure as the report would indicate how the ministry as regulator in the energy sector under the Petroleum Act carries out its functions of enforcement and safety adherence for the good of society.”
When reached for a comment, Minister of Energy and Energy Affairs Roodal Moonilal said, “shocked by the shameful abuse of power by my predecessor, Minister Stuart Young, in this matter.”
