PM: Extra effort on to end ALNG impasse

NO compromise has as yet been arrived at regarding the nine-week impasse by protesting Atlantic LNG Train IV workers, according to Prime Minister Patrick Manning. Manning made the announcement to reporters yesterday following a breakfast meeting hosted by the San Fernando East Constituency at Paria Suites Ballroom, La Romaine. The Prime Minister said he was not ready to get into any details on issues which is stalling negotiations between protesting workers and Bechtel, since he said he was not part of the negotiating table.

However, Manning assured discussions were  underway and an extra effort was being made to end the impasse as soon as possible. “We (the Government) are trying to resolve the strike, but this is very difficult because it surrounds negotiations, which is what the workers want. It is what the companies want and it is a question of coming into some sort of conclusion or compromise,” Manning said. The PM noted though that when the strike is over, Government will examine and review what went wrong and work on ensuring that such an impasse does not happen again.

Manning said although Dr Lenny Saith was acting as a mediator between the workers (who are not unionised) and Bechtel, he (Saith) would be available but not present for these negotiations between both parties. “I continue to be optimistic, even though I can tell you that last Tuesday, a degree of pro-gress was made in discussions surrounding the resolution of the ongoing protest. The contents of negotiations are difficult, so I guess we just have to wait and see how things go. One has to await the evening to determine how splendid the day has been,” Manning concluded.