PORT OF SPAIN – A senior employee of state-owned Petrotrin has been suspended pending investigations into the recent oil spill in Marabella.
The vice-president of Petrotrin’s refinery and marketing department – who has over 30 years’ service to the company – was suspended with pay, Petrotrin chairman Lindsay Gillette said Saturday.
During a news conference at Petrotrin’s Learning Resource Centre, Pointe-a-Pierre, Gillette said other suspensions were also expected, however, the number of people could not be confirmed.
The spill in Marabella has caused severe discomfort to 200-plus residents and is expected to cost Petrotrin at least TT$5 million, said Petrotrin president Khalid Hassanali.
Petrotrin also announced the immediate appointment of a local, independent auditor to conduct further investigations on the leaking tank MP6 at the Pointe-a-Pierre refinery and a failed bund wall which was expected to contain oil spillage from tanks.
Hassanali said: “This incident must not happen and should not have happened.” (Express)
