Minister in the Ministry of Energy and Energy Industries Ernesto Kesar says long-awaited reforms for Trinidad and Tobago’s LPG industry are on the horizon.
According to media reports last year, after a series of fatal incidents across Trinidad and Tobago involving LPG gas tanks, the Ministry of Energy undertook to review and update LPG regulations that were originally prepared years ago but never implemented.
Speaking at the Liquified Petroleum Gas Dealers Association Limited Pioneer Awards & Dinner Ceremony on Tuesday night, Minister Kesar said those reforms are now being aggressively pursued.
“There’s a particular type of reform that has been before the Ministry for 10 years and through the good work of our Permanent Secretaries, PS Tulsi and PS Dass, we have dust them out, and we are now aggressively pursuing them to get to the Cabinet. So hopefully in the upcoming couple of months, you will see that.”
Minister Kesar praised the pioneers in the sector while emphasising LPG’s continued importance to households and small businesses across the country.
“It’s about the mother preparing meals for her family. It is about the small parlour owner trying to make an honest living. It is about the doubles vendor, the caterers, the rural household, the small business operator. And it must be recognised that for decades, LPG has quietly powered the everyday life of Trinidad and Tobago.”
President of the Liquified Petroleum Gas Dealers Association Limited, Imitiaz Rahaman, said his members stand ready to work with the government.
“Our local and international LPG experience is available to help craft a plan of evolution for the industry as the government seeks to create the structure of our important industry into its next phase of development.”
Eleven pioneers were awarded at Tuesday’s ceremony.
Acting Chief Executive Officer of the Trinidad and Tobago National Petroleum Marketing Company Limited, Chester Beeput, congratulated the awardees for their stellar contributions to the LPG industry.
“NP joins with the Association in acknowledging the dedication, resilience, innovation, and service of tonight’s honourees and applauds them for elevating the standards of the industry. I take this opportunity to commend the Association for its vital contribution and for its unwavering commitment to the continuous improvement and development of the sector.”