Energy Minister: Jobs coming to La Brea

Ramnarine indicated that Bredero Shaw Middle East is the largest division of ShawCor Limited, a global services company which specialises in the products and services for the pipeline and pipe industry. The company will be located at Site A of the Union Industrial Estate.

The company was registered for Free Trade Zone Status under the Trinidad and Tobago (TT) Free Zones Act. The order was made by Trade and Industry Minister Stephen Cadiz under Section 3(2) of the TT Free Zones Act on January 30.

As a result of the grant of Free Trade Zone status, Bredero Shaw was able to secure a significant contract for the application of weigh coatings to a Latin American Exploration and Production company which will be executed at La Brea. The company anticipates that it would be able to attract more business from overseas into TT as its free zone status allows it to compete internationally.

The project contract award between Bredero Shaw and its client was signed on January 4. The lease between the National Energy Corporation and Bredero Shaw was signed one week later on January 10. A certificate of environmental clearance was granted to Bredero Shaw on January 11. Initial site works at Site A started on January 16 and are nearing completion. Initial production works are scheduled to begin in May with full production works scheduled for the third quarter of this year.

Ramnarine stated: “The company will employ between 200 and 260 persons full time over the life of the project, estimated at one year. The company will be recruiting unskilled labour, office personnel, rolling stock operators, material deliveries personnel and technicians familiar with the pipeline coating application technology.”

The minister said unskilled labour will be sourced through locally registered labour providers. “The other positions will generally be recruited from the local environs and surrounding catchment areas, namely La Brea, Vance River, Union Village, Rousillac, Point Fortin and San Fernando,” Ramnarine added. He identified quality control technicians; health, safety and environmental coordinators; supervisors and tally coordinators as some of the other key positions which the company needed to fill.

The minister concluded: “Additional employment will be provided through the subcontracting of services for the transporting of quarry and production materials.” Responding to a supplemental question from Jeffrey, Ramnarine expressed optimism that over the course of the fiscal year other investors would be coming to La Brea.