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Civic watchdog group, Fixin’ T&T, has called on Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley to remove former Petrotrin executive chairman Malcolm Jones from his new portfolio as member of a Standing Committee for the Ministry of Energy.
The following is the full press release from Fixin’ T&T:
FIXIN’ T&T calls on Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley to immediately remove Mr Malcolm Jones from the Standing Committee of Energy which he (the PM) chairs.
While we appreciate that Mr Jones may be well versed on petroleum matters, his performance as Petrotrin’s Executive Chairman was abysmal, to say the least, for reasons that disqualify him from advising on issues of energy in any formal capacity.
The most glaring demonstration of his incompetence was his overseeing of the ill conceived Gas to Liquids (GTL) project which failed spectacularly and cost the people of Trinidad and Tobago TT$3B and counting. We would be lucky if we were able to recover TT$50M of our money lost to that debacle. Perhaps even worse and more expensive was the Gasoline Optimization Programme (GOP), reported to be conceptualized under Mr Jones’ chairmanship in 2003 at an estimated cost of TT$350M, which remains unrealized and ballooned to a price tag well over TT$1B.
For the PNM Administration to suggest that this is the best we have available is an insult. The former Chairman should be brought before the committee to answer questions as we can probably learn from his mistakes.
(Courtesy Firstmagazine.com)
Should Dr Rowley fail to revoke this appointment, which is the right thing to do, we call on Mr Jones to politely decline the offer as that would be both honourable and in the best interest of the country.
Our State Boards and Advisory Committees must be populated with persons of verifiable expertise and competence that can withstand the strictest scrutiny. With the challenges we face, that is the only acceptable standard.
We maintain our insistence that the CVs of all such appointees be made available online for public consumption and inspection.
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Fixin T&T’s mission is the realization of good governance to achieve healthy, holistic, and fulfilling lifestyles for all citizens through the study, promotion, and furtherance of strong democratic institutions; sound infrastructure; integrity in public and corporate affairs; and a culture of respect by all for the laws and regulations of the country to create a safe, secure, efficient and productive Trinidad & Tobago.
..LOL..You ain’t got nutten else to do…My opinion is just one and by itself unimportant..
Like i said i shall point out to you youf bias and attempt at distraction. Kéep em coming
…You must be a new comer here. Read my pre-election comments… And a word of unsolicited advice. It is “independents” like me who PNM AND UNC OR WHOEVER will depend on to win or keep power. If it’s silence you looking for now your party is in – hard luck. So treat criticism and queries from our quarter with some caution and respect because your party faithful won’t get the job done any more…
And i will engage you and point out your bias and distraction
Your trend is anti.PNM.Not one word on corruption revealed and only didtraction on your behalf. Your trend is well noted.
..Why do we love to go personal when people disagree? It’s none of your buisness, but i l voted Manning, Kamla and now, Rowley into power and I will vote in and vote out – and criticize – whoever I damn well please. I ain’t no UNC OR PNM acolyte. You need to follow this page and opinion on it more closely and carefully before you make irrelevant and incorrect statements about people..And what does the “newness” of the PNM or any government have to do with it? THEY asked for the job…
Mervyn Skeete that is. A government one month old left to develop a budget in 2 weeks with an economy left in shambles with a highly uncertain future and people howling and hounding same government. With all the revelations taking place of 5 years of abject corruption only silence a d distraction. What a damn shame!
Keith Look Loy ..i see you hzve a problem with PNM. Never heard you cru foul with the corrupt unc.Mervyn Streete you are spot on eith your comment
I belive that most commentators do not have all the facts on why some are calling for the head of malcolm jones
The unc led by anand ramlogan went after jones because of his political affiliaton with the pnm
While I would not dismiss fixin t&t and while jone’s name is embroiled in court action initiated by anand ramlogan, with gerard ramdeen representing ptrotrin, nobody could deny the wealth of knowledge of the energy sector that jones could bring to the table
party polittricking seems cancerous to the trinbago mind,lol
You’re right, Reshmi comes nowhere close to Jones. Unlike Reshmi, what are the FACTS against Jones? He should be fired because of perception? Did Jones steal money? Did he misapproptiate funds? No. So what is it that the PM should take into consideration to to remove Jones immediately? I am no Jones defender, that’s not my issue, but Fixin’ TnT is not doing themselves any favors be calling for an extreme move like that based on subjective info. State your concerns, just as the Unions did, and give yourselves ‘breathing room’. That’s all I’m saying.
Not perception at all Richard Zen O’Brien. Fixin T&T raised issued with some costly projects under his tenure.
I do not want a single board member involved in Life Sport to have a future in sport governance.
By that principle, if someone was involved in anything that drained the treasury, then at the least I question them competence and am wary of them on that grounds.
I try to be consistent.
Again, lifesport in same sentence as Jones? What are the allegations against Jones that prevents him from sitting on a panel? It’s not like he’s heading any entity by himself here.
Not allegations. He was executive chairman at a time when Petrotrin apparently squandered millions.
Now, if he can prove that the losses were greatly overstated and the treasury didn’t lose millions on his watch, then I’m all for him.
If he cannot, then I think he is inappropriate for the job.
I heard Brent Sancho and Kevin Harrison offered to be consultants for the Sport Ministry.
Isn’t that just as silly as bringing back a man who cost taxypayers millions?
that white elephant on petrotrin compound near the gasparillo flyover left to rot….follow!
Actually Richard Zen O’Brien, Reshmi was moved after concerns about her suitability by public.
So it won’t be unprecedented if a prime minister backtracks on an appointment.
Granted, the sticking point with Reshmi was a fraudulent cv which almost certainly isn’t the case here.
But his previous tenure in charge is relevant I think.
Again, my complaint it not about Fixin’ TnT complaining. Re-read what I said. This was a little advice for the bros.
I notice there are very few followers…
..
Sigh..Does it matter? The same could be asked about innumerable MPs and commentators on all sides of the political divide over our fifty-three years. Is there merit in what he is saying. THAT’s the question. He criticized PP actions. Now he doin’ the same to PNM…
I always wondered what is Kirk Waithe’s claim to fame?….. Anybody??.
Didn’t people complain along similar lines when Ganga Singh was brought in?
…Are we already seeing the updated version of “No damn dog bark”? Governments are elected. Not consecrated. They ALL do shit. And we ALL have the duty to challenge it. When Fixin’ T &T was jammin’ PP who vex? Now the shoe is on the other foot people…
Keith, At least some of the commenters are merely saying that we should be more temperate in our comments, not that we should NOT criticize. So in that sense, it’s not so much “No damn dog bag” as “Allyuh doh think allyuh should be yelpin’ instead ah barkin’?”
…LOL…Let those in power do their thing. They were elected. Right!…
These guys need to learn the importance of managing expectations if they want to establish credibility. It’s a difference to say Jones should be ‘immediately removed’ as opposed to ‘being concerned’. The PM is not going to remove Jones so what happens if/when the appointment goes well?
This is different from asking for Anand’s or Kamla’s resignation AFTER something WAS alleged. Managing expectations is very important in activist work. Just a lil piece of advice. 🙂
Just one minor correction, Richard: you said “These guys?” Fixin T&T? Are you sure you need that plural?
What I am gathering here is that, before Dr Rowley appointed Ministers, Senators, PS, CEO, Chairmen of Boards etc. He should have called a national meeting, including the Opposition, and seek advice on ALL APPOINTMENTS OF GOVERNMENT, because since assuming office, all I have been reading of is adverse comments about every appointment made. Between 2010 and 2015 nobody had the fortitude to go forward and criticize, object, or even whisper about the wrongdoings of the last government BUT ALAS, freedom of speech and the right to suggest who should be appointed or who shouldn’t is being trumpeted….THAT IS DEMOCRACY, THOUGH I would suggest… GIVE THOSE IN POWER THE RIGHT TO SELECT THOSE WHO THEY BELIEVE WILL GET THE JOB DONE, you have put them there to do a job, don’t itell them how to do it, the end result will be the important factor.
we would do well to recognize his achievement as well to add some balance to that criticism.
Can you name the achievements that might counter the costs suggested here?
…Didn’t the OWTU also criticize his appointment? The union has been the best guardian of the national interest in the energy sector from its inception. And they are not party-affiliated…
trinbago got no corruption,no jail time for officials….so how people only talking about corruption…all yuh stop lying eh!
Lol
I wonder who they would recommend in place of him? It’s a committee; his views will be one of many. Let the man contribute; we have no time to waste talent because “someone says”.
That’s the problem when people realized their opinions matter they always want to voice it……. At least they admitted he is a one of if not the best in this field.
How much money did he help petrotrin make?