Business owners in Egypt Village, Point Fortin, are calling on Petrotrin to compensate them for the loss of business as one of the company’s contractors blocked off a portion of the roadway since Monday, costing them thousands of dollars in revenue. According to reports, the Southern Main Road was blocked off and traffic diverted away from the area after mud and water began bubbling up in the middle of the road on Monday.
The bubbling matter, resembling a mini-volcano, shot approximately three feet in the air and spanned a three-feet wide area, close to the Petrotrin Well FW 51. The business owners, some of whom live in the area, say residents have been told not to cook in their homes since Tuesday but they have been given no real indication of whether their lives are in danger.
The T&T Guardian visited the area yesterday and spoke to residents who said they have been kept in the dark for too long over what was taking place in their community. “We cannot do anything and we are not being informed on what is going on,” said business woman Nakasha Ramdhan. “We are at a loss in both instances. We cannot live our normal lives and we cannot run our businesses to support our normal lives because we don't know what is happening,” she added.
She said a few business people and several residents were given letters by representatives of Lease Operators Ltd on Tuesday and verbally warned to refrain from using open flames. The letter, which the T&T Guardian was able to obtain a copy of, informs residents that a production rig is being mobilised to conduct work on Well FW 51 on Wednesday.
The letter advised of the necessary evacuations procedures in the case of an emergency during the rig work. However, Ramdhan said the business community and residents were being treated unfairly. She added: “It is very unfair and unprofessional because you treating the business owners and residents like we are not important.
“They just sent people and lock down the main road to Point Fortin, yet you not giving us any information but you are telling us don't do this and that. “It is very unfair and it is affecting our livelihood because it is month end... we have rent, bills and workers to pay.” She said they wanted Petrotrin to give them a definitive statement on the situation.
“First of all we need an explanation as to exactly what happening and how long we need to go through this. “Tell us if we need to evacuate now, if we need to take health precautions if we need to close down and if they will compensate us,” she said. Fruit vendor Trevor George said he had lost thousands of dollars since the road was cordoned off. “The traffic block off in both ends and nobody passing through, so things will stay there and rotten,” said a distraught George. “I am losing about $2,000-$3,000 every day,” he claimed.
The father of four said with the school term re-opening in September, he will be hard pressed to provide for his children without selling his fruits. “Two of them in secondary school and two more in primary school. I don’t know what I will do to buy their supplies if they don’t open back the road soon,” he added.
Petrotrin responds
Petrotrin released a statement yesterday, confirming a “watery/mud like” substance was seen bubbling from the roadway on Monday. The release stated that “temporary traffic management arrangements were put in place to ensure the safety of residents and to minimise the disruption of business activity in the community.”
The company added that the traffic arrangements would remain in place until the matter was resolved but did not state when this would be.