Petrotrin retirees stood in the sweltering heat at the gates of Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar’s Philippine home, yesterday, begging for help but departed in an angry mood after she drove past them without stopping. “How can she drive off on us like that? We are citizens of this country. We are senior citizens of this country and you just drive off and gone and you know we came to deliver a message to you. What nonsense is going on in this country?” retiree Darryl Lalla said of the prime ministerial snub.
Over a dozen men, ages 60 and over, stood outside the PM’s gates to deliver a letter which highlighted Petrotrin’s alleged refusal to honour a four per cent increase to their pensions, which formed part of an agreement between the company and the Oilfields Workers’ Trade Union (OWTU) in 2001.
The former workers also said that although they were entitled to care at the company’s medical facilities, they were being asked to purchase their own medication. Although there were four unmarked police SUVs and a Regiment truck guarding Persad-Bissessar’s home, the retirees marched towards her gates singing union songs. Even as they stood outside her gates, two soldiers calmly left the compound without any interaction. But as the retirees called out for someone to collect a letter, no one answered.
Eventually, Snr Supt Irwin Hackshaw, of the Southern Division, and a team of officers came and ordered the retirees not to stand in front of the gate. Minutes later, Persad-Bissessar and her entourage left the compound without acknowledging the retirees. “I am really upset that she passed us. She could have stopped and the driver could have taken the letter from us. She did not have to take it herself but we want her to investigate our pension plan,” Lalla said.
Another retiree, Frankie McGuire, said the last time he spoke to Energy Minister Kevin Ramnarine about their problem, he was told to speak to OWTU president general Ancel Roget.
“We are not into politics, all we want is our money that is owed to us. There is a four per cent increase for the retirees from since 2001 and to date we have not received our increase. We are also having problems with getting proper medical treatment. We wrote to the company, we spoke to the company and they agreed to meet with the union and they are bluntly refusing to meet with our representative which is the OWTU,” McGuire said.
He said it was during their era Petrotrin had high revenues which now afforded citizens a high quality of life. However, he said, some retirees were collecting a monthly pension of $2,913.29 while the government pension was $3,500.
PETROTRIN: WE’RE NOT RESPONSIBLE
A release from Petrotrin’s corporate communications department stated that the Petrotrin Employees Pension Plan was an independent fund operated by a trustee which was overseen by a management committee. This committee includes Petrotrin personnel and OWTU representatives.
It stated that the agreement for a four per cent increase was provisional upon Petrotrin not having to make any cash injection to meet any of the cash requirements for improvements to the pension plan, the increased pensions not jeopardising the viability of the pension plan and all costs related to its improvement being borne by the surpluses in the plan.
“While we understand the disappointment of our retirees, we reiterate our commitment to work towards improved financial conditions. The actuarial valuation for the period 2010-2013 has been completed and the actuarial recommendation regarding another round of pension increases is awaiting review by the management committee of the pension plan.”