00:00The standing finance committee today examined the expenditure of the Ministry of Energy and Energy Industries, which proved to be
00:08a short exercise.
00:10It is important to know that the Ministry of Energy and Energy Industries, as we like to say, we are
00:15the ministry that earns money.
00:17We do not spend money. So it is not my intention to detain honourable members for too long on this
00:23wonderful afternoon.
00:24The few questions posed dealt with short-term employment, which is forecast to increase in 2027 to some $10 million.
00:34You are saying that in order to correct an issue that was raised by the Auditor General, rather than increase
00:43the contract employment vote, you are putting $10.5 million into short-term?
00:51We are advised that this is the proper way to deal with that problem that the Auditor General has flagged.
00:57Advised by who?
00:58That occurred before April 2025.
01:03And we also intend to fill the vacant positions, 88, I believe they are, of contract positions as well.
01:10So that will also take some of the resources.
01:12Some $17 million is to be utilised under other contracted services to, among other things, clear bills from the Tobago
01:21oil spill and to service petrotron loans.
01:25The total was $17 million.
01:28For fiscal 26-27, the new total is $71.5 million.
01:32Sorry, for 25, it was how much? $17 or $70?
01:36$17.170.
01:37Right.
01:38You're there?
01:39Yeah.
01:40Right.
01:41That had to do with reimbursement to Heritage Petroleum Company, operational responses on the Tobago oil spill.
01:47Correct.
01:47And so on, and re-abandonment works on a particular area in South Trinidad.
01:54But the total was $17 million for 25-26.
01:57It is now projected to be $71.6 million for 26-27.
02:03It has to do with payments, a significant payment on behalf of Petrotrin, which is part of the legacy items.
02:09The high point for the ministry came when MPs looked at the fuel subsidy.
02:15Former Energy Minister Stuart Young noted that the 2026 estimate of $300 million was revised to $750 million.
02:25He asked how much had been actually paid in reimbursements to NP and Unipet.
02:31The payments in fiscal 2026, including subsidy payments, generously left by yourself from April 2024 to March 2026, those payments
02:47incidentally amounted to $971 million.
02:51Correct.
02:52Correct.
02:53So there was a $971 million payment.
02:56Is there a particular reason you left that payment, if I may ask?
02:59Well, because we left office.
03:03Former Minister Young maintained that the monies allocated were in no way sufficient to pay off the debt and the
03:09continued expenditure.
03:11The UNC came into government in May 2025, had a budget in September 2025, and only provided $300 million when
03:24you knew you had an outstanding debt to start with $971 million.
03:28And then you want to tell us now, or avoid telling us rather, how much has been paid for 2026?
03:35We have the answer.
03:37You don't have to badger, you don't have to be loud, you don't have to shout and scream.
03:41We have made two payments for April and September 2026.
03:45One payment to NP of $544 million, another payment to Unipet of $206 million.
03:52So that's $644, $744.
03:55And from recurrent, yeah, it's from recurrent, of course.
04:00But the question remains, how much money remains owed to NP and Unipet?
04:05So is it that the Ministry of Energy has come here not knowing how much is owed to NP and
04:11how much is owed to Unipet?
04:13Minister, we will get the figure for you.
04:15So you don't want the population to know?
04:17I will get the figure for you and we'll ensure it's accurate?
04:20Yeah, yeah.
04:21We'll ensure it is accurate, it's precise.
04:24I think your question deserves a proper answer.
04:26Correct. Thank you.
04:27The Energy Ministry has been allocated the sum of $945,801,000.
04:35Urvishita Mwari, Ruknarein, TV6 News.
