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Although blame was levelled against the UNC for overspend at NGC during its term in government under the People’s Partnership, Oropouche East MP Dr Roodal Moonilal said the National Gas Company (NGC) was profitable under its tenure.
He said the decline only started when the PNM government took office and it has been on a downward spiral ever since, with bad management of its gas supply and investment to rescue the unsalvageable Atlantic Train 1.
At the UNC’s virtual report on Monday, Moonilal also took to task former trade unionist and Political Leader of the Movement for Social Justice (MSJ) David Abdulah for ascribing equal blame to the UNC and the PNM for the current NGC situation.
“Abdulah talking nonsense now – that we squandered money. We never squandered money. If we squandered money, how could you have an after-tax profit of $6 billion in 2013 and 2014?”
Moonilal said there was an after-tax profit of $4.6 billion in 2011, $4 billion in 2012, $6.5 billion in 2013, and $4.5 billion in 2014.
He said, in 2020 the NGC recorded a historic loss of $2.1 billion.
Moonilal said the true story of the Beetham wastewater treatment plant, which is a scar on the PP administration, has not yet been told and he will tell all soon to remove the stain.
“I want to remind you, when Abdulah and others were in the coalition Government of the PP under Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, they did not raise issue of policy, they did not raise issues of programme.
“Every Monday morning when they came to see me, they want CEPEP contract and HDC house. They were not concerned with policy, they were not concerned with programme, they were not concerned with legislative agenda.
“To hear them now, because they cannot find the courage and fortitude to attack the PNM, they want to share blame with the UNC. We would have no such thing.”
He said the UNC managed the NGC with diligence – realising profits, some of which were used to develop sports and communities just like the Patrick Manning administration before had done.
Moonilal questioned the $500 million rescue package investment by NGC, the smallest of the shareholders in Atlantic Train 1, in spite of warnings from the major shareholders, bpTT and Shell because there was no gas supply.
He said this bad decision was undertaken with the blessings of Government.
NGC chairman Conrad Enil has defended the company saying everything was done above board and the decision to invest was made in the best interest of the people of TT.
However, Moonilal said, “There was no upgrade, there was no rescue programme, there was no enhancement or refurbishment to Train 1, and now NGC is seeking indemnity for the company and directors.
“I call on Finance Minister Colm Imbert, do not take God out of your mind and provide any illegal and unlawful, and illicit and unethical indemnity to no director of NGC.”
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