By Sue-Ann Wayow

THE closure of gas supply to Nutrien marked another disastrous chapter in the mismanagement of Trinidad and Tobago’s energy sector by government.

This is according to Opposition Leader Pennelope Beckles who issued a statement on the possible permanent closure on Friday.

Her statement follows formal correspondence between the National Gas Company and Nutrien with NGC informing Nutrien that the company will no longer have access to gas supply and port access effective January 1, 2026.

Beckles said the mishandling of the negotiations over gas supply and port fees was now costing jobs, investment, and national credibility as Nutrien seemed poised to end its 45-year-relationship, as a reliable partner in the downstream energy industry.

“This threatens to inflict irreversible damage to our energy sector and hurt our economy from the highest of levels to the pockets of the man and woman on the ground,” Beckles said.

However, she added it did not occur overnight but was a result of failed negotiations, poor management, and a reckless, confrontational approach by the State, led by the NGC, the Minister of Energy and Energy Industries and  Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar.

Beckles said what was more alarming was that other major gas supply contracts in the downstream were now up for renegotiation and government has already signalled that it was incapable of handling the complexities of the energy industry.

She said it was clear that Gross Domestic Product (GDP), trade, foreign exchange earnings government revenue and employment, will be negatively impacted since Nutrien was Trinidad and Tobago’s second largest ammonia producer, accounting for 31 per cent of domestic production and a major producer of urea for the local and international markets.

Beckles said, “Of particular concern is the domestic supply of fertilizers, especially, urea for farming. Reports indicate shortages of this important fertilizer domestically with the doubling of prices, caused by the shutdown of Nutrien’s operations in October.”

She asked, “Can this be expected to persist and what will be the impact on farmers and food prices?”

Beckles said once again the economy was suffering, unemployment was rising and the burden on the burden on the country was becoming heavier.

“The incompetence and ignorance of this government is causing dangerous, self-inflicted wounds to this country, which can reverse decades of gains, and hard fought progress, which benefitted the people of this country,” she said.

Nutrien’s demise began back in October, 2025 when it announced it would begin a controlled shutdown of its Trinidad Nitrogen operations from October 23, citing port access restrictions by National Energy, unreliable gas supply, and rejecting claims it owed millions in retroactive port fees.

After having meetings with government officials and Persad-Bissessar and senior Nutrien executives in November, the shutdown reached international reports.