Wednesday, September 23 2009

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THAT'S MY LEADER: Senate Minority Leader Wade Mark waves a copy of the UNC Manifesto which has on the cover a dominant photo of UNC leader Basdeo Pand...

OPPOSITION Senator Wade Mark yesterday called on Government to launch an “urgent forensic investigation” into State oil company Petrotrin as he claimed there are activities taking place which overshadows even the controversial Brian Lara Stadium at Tarouba.

Speaking during debate on the budget in the Senate, Mark claimed the gas to liquids (GTL) plant being constructed at Petrotrin’s Pointe-a-Pierre refinery by New York-based World GTL was originally estimated to cost US$150 million but now costs US$300 million, when it is completed in December.

Mark said while a contract signed between Petrotrin and World GTL saw the latter being assigned 51 shares in the plant and the former getting the remaining 49 shares, Mark claimed World GTL “did not pay one cent of its shares” and Petrotrin appears to be completely funding the project. He further alleged that World GTL is renting a house in St Joseph Village, San Fernando owned by former Petrotrin executive chairman Malcolm Jones at a cost of US$5,000 per month. Mark claimed a senior company official was dismissed for questioning the GTL project, and the son of another top Petrotrin official was paid a $15,000 management fee for the upkeep of a guest house.

in Tobago which was acquired by Petrotrin.

Mark called on Energy Minister Conrad Enill to launch an immediate investigation “into the operations of Petrotrin and its board of directors.”

Speaking with reporters during the lunch break, Enill said: “I run the energy sector not specifics. If there is a specific issue, then there is a specific issue for a board of directors that we put in place. They are accountable.”

“Here’s how it works. The ministry has responsibility for a commercial activity. There is a board of directors whose responsibility is for governance. There are auditors to make sure that they follow policy. If none of those matters come to my attention through that course, then every year when they do their accounts, they certify that everything is going according to plan,” he explained.