Government Advances Plan to Restart Pointe-à-Pierre Refinery in Trinidad

OWTU president general Ancel Roget welcomed the Government’s budget and said he remains confident the Pointe-a-Pierre refinery will restart, after Finance Minister Davendranath Tancoo said proposals had been shortlisted. Roget said the reopening could benefit workers, South Trinidad and the wider country, while the union will focus on wage talks instead of the October 30 march.

The Government says a procurement process to choose a partner for the Pointe-a-Pierre refinery restart will begin this fiscal year, with Energy Minister Dr Roodal Moonilal leading the effort. Officials say reviving the mothballed Petrotrin facility could reduce fuel imports, ease debt pressures and improve foreign exchange earnings, while also affecting jobs and communities in south-central Trinidad.

The Government says it will restart the Pointe-a-Pierre refinery through a phased plan, with industry groups welcoming the move as a boost for fuel security, jobs and local business. Former energy minister Carolyn Seepersad-Bachan questioned the cost, crude supply and export markets, while the Energy Chamber also urged a commercially viable, fully financed plan and cautioned against higher petroleum taxes.

Finance Minister Davendranath Tancoo said the Government will restart the Pointe-à-Pierre refinery and is now evaluating proposals from a shortlist of local and international investors. He said the goal is a credible, commercially viable and fully financed plan, following a committee report on a phased restart of the Guaracara facility.

Patriotic Energy Services Limited has backed the Government’s phased plan to restart the Guaracara Refinery, saying it is a practical path to a faster, safer reopening. The company said the restart could improve Trinidad and Tobago’s energy security, revive economic activity and jobs, and help restore confidence in communities tied to the refinery.