00:00The OWTU will be vindicated. The people will experience prosperity when we light that flare and start that refinery in
00:08the interest of not just OWTU, or not just south, but in the interest of Trinidad and Tobago.
00:13President-General of the Oilfield Workers' Trade Union Ansel Roge is confident in government's intention to restart the pointer pair
00:22refinery. The OWTU's patriotic energy has long been pursuing the acquisition of the state asset, and Roge believes they will
00:30play a role in its restart.
00:33Yes, the government will afford everybody who can play a meaningful role, an opportunity to play a meaningful role in
00:39the restart of those assets so that everybody will benefit.
00:43Speaking on the overall budget presentation, Roge says he was pleased to see over $2 billion allocated in 2027 to
00:52settle some back pay arrears with the intention to tackle more outstanding negotiations.
00:58It was a good budget in our view, and that it addressed and put on the front burner our issues
01:05of outstanding negotiations. Some people got theirs addressed. It's our turn now.
01:11While the OWTU leader has voiced his support for government on many fronts to date, other union leaders have not
01:19been as satisfied with their performance, prompting a planned trade union march for next Friday.
01:26Roge says the OWTU will not be participating.
01:30We definitely will not be part of it. That is our right too, because remember for Labor Day, some unions
01:36said that they don't want to be part of Labor Day. Imagine that.
01:39But we will be very busy, very, very busy preparing for these upcoming negotiations and so on, making sure that
01:47our members get the benefit and the proper representation they deserve, which they could not have gotten under the PNM.
01:54Never forget that.
01:55Cindy Raghuva, Tika Singh, TV6 News.
