Oilfields Workers’ Trade Union (OWTU) president general Ancel Roget is wary of the appointment of Franklin Khan as the Energy and Energy Industries Minister, saying he has a history of putting private interest before country.
Speaking on Wednesday on Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley’s recent Cabinet reshuffle, Roget said the union was yet to learn the reason why La Brea MP Nicole Olivierre was removed from the portfolio.
He said Khan, a former employee of Petrotrin, left the company under questionable circumstances.
In a warning, Roget said Khan would have problems with the OWTU should he attempt to sell State assets or privatise Petrotrin’s operations.
“So all of the PNM people who would jump up and say ‘Hey, hey, hey’ might have very well lost if we did not keep a watchful eye on Franklin Khan as he prepared possibly to give away what is national patrimony to private interest.
“The OWTU is prepared to look scrupulously, meticulously and pay close attention.
“Indeed, I want to send a warning very early to the new Minister of Energy: If you are still with your own individual policy of the past, taking to the Ministry of Energy...that private interest trumps the national patrimony and national interests, then you have a problem with the Oilfields Workers’ Trade Union,” Roget said.
He added he was elated to see Ancil Antoine sacked as Minister of Public Utilities, saying he could not deliver proper management of that ministry.
However, he advised Antoine’s successor, Fitzgerald Hinds, to cure his “verbal diarrhoea” and listen before he acted.
Roget said Hinds had disrespected the Maxi Taxi Association and warned that the Joint Trade Union Movement would not tolerate any disrespect from him.
Roget gave Labour Minister Jennifer Baptiste-Primus a good rating, saying she was doing well despite being restricted by limited laws on labour.
He chastised Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar criticism of the reshuffle, saying she had no moral authority to condemn the Cabinet reshuffle.
“I want to denounce openly, Kamla Persad-Bissessar for talking anything about reshuffling, particularly in the case of the Ministry of Energy. We had a good minister of energy by the name of Carolyn Seepersad-Bachan.”
Calls were made to Khan’s mobile phone but there was no response.