Malcolm Jones has died

“Remarkable, isn’t it?” said one family member. “He was on dialysis for 18 years and that alone speaks to the mettle of the man.” Jones passed away at about 5.30 am at Petrotrin’s Augustus Long Hospital in Pointe-a- Pierre. He was surrounded by family members who described his passing as “peaceful.” Speaking with Newsday from Jones’ St Joseph Village, San Fernando home yesterday, family members - who asked to remain anonymous - did not yet have a death certificate, but said Jones most likely died as a result of kidney complications.

“He had been ailing for some time now, but death always comes as a shock,” said one family member who said Jones was taken to the hospital three days ago.

“It was not a routine visit, but it also was not an emergency.

When a person is on dialysis, it is normal for their bodies to go through changes that require visits to the hospital ever so often.

But he died peacefully.

Still lucid and still very talkative. Up to last night (Thursday night) he had been making phone calls and sending emails.” Asked what they believed Jones would consider his legacy, the relative said, “His contributions to the energy industry in Trinidad and Tobago.” Born and raised on Drayton Street, San Fernando, Jones attended Presentation College, San Fernando before graduating from the University of the West Indies with a B.Sc in Chemical Engineering in 1965. His first job was as a process engineer at Texaco Trinidad in 1965 where he worked for three years before taking up leadership positions as president, general manager, and chief executive officer in several privately owned energy companies.

His leadership skills were sought after to handle public affairs under the Patrick Manning-led PNM government. According to a Petrotrin release, “From 2002 to 2003 and 2009 to 2010 he served as chairman at Petrotrin and from 2003 to 2009 as executive chairman. From 2009 to 2010 he served as chairman of the National Gas Company.” Jones resigned from his position as chairman in 2010 after allegations arose of him breaching his fiduciary duty in his management of the construction of the Gas to Liquids plant at Petrotrin’s Pointe-a-Pierre refinery.

The $2.7 billion plant was constructed but failed to begin producing diesel by the contracted date despite massive overruns.

Petrotrin’s board filed a US$1.09 million lawsuit against him for his role in the plant’s failure in 2013. The lawsuit was dropped under the PNM Government in 2016 after Petrotrin’s attorneys were given access to witness statements they believed made the State’s case against Jones futile.

In 2016, he was appointed to the government’s standing committee on energy, but resigned three months after fervent calls by the OWTU and the UNC for his removal. He remained out of the public eye until yesterday.

“He lived the conventional retiree life after his time at Petrotrin,” said a relative. “He spent his time at home watching the news on TV, because he loved watching foreign news, and playing with his three grandchildren.” Jones was awarded the Chaconia Medal (Gold) and a Samaan Tree Award from the UWI Alumni Association (Trinidad and Tobago Chapter) in 2004.

He was also awarded an honourary doctorate in 2007 by the University of Trinidad and Tobago.

He is survived by his wife, Brenda Jones, his five children and three grandchildren.