13 Texaco workers want
service station reopened
~Public Works: Chevron needs to comply~
CUL DE SAC--Christmas is drawing near, but for the 13 workers of Texaco Service Station/Star Mart and their families, December will be a difficult and not celebratory month if the Bush Road business remains closed.
Pleading for answers and relief, they called on Public Works Commissioner Theo Heyliger to help sort out the building stop issued to the station so construction could continue and they could go back to work.
Contacted by this newspaper, Heyliger, who is on business in Trinidad, said his department was doing its part to ensure that the workers were not left out in the cold especially at this time of the year. However, the works had to be in compliance with the laws.
On October 3, the service station was closed by Chevron/Texaco for upgrading and was scheduled to reopen on November 14. However, the works were stopped by the Department of Public Works because several conditions had not been complied with by the company.
Explaining the reason for the building stop, the Public Works Department representatives said that the building permit was ready to be picked up, but Chevron/Texaco had to produce its Comprehensive All Risk Insurance, accept responsibility and clean up the “visibly contaminated soil” dumped in a special section of the landfill and at the Bush Road location.
The company was also to forward a soil test report to the department, but has not yet done this. The representatives said that the company was trying to put the blame on the service station retailers for the cleanup, but the hindrance permit states that the company (the owner of the tanks and property) is responsible.
The service station workers contacted the newspaper Monday, to issue a public plea to the commissioner to meet with them as soon as possible to explain why the permit was taking so long and when it would be granted.
The worrisome part for the workers is retailers/station operators Jane and Bruno Therond will not be able to pay them after November 29. All workers received a pay cheque for October and their employers have committed to pay them for November, but after this there is no more money as no revenue is being generated by the closed service station.
“We don’t know what Christmas will be like for us and our families. It’s 33 people who are affected,” said the workers, most of us have been with the station for over five years. The longest serving worker has been employed for the past 19 years.
The upset workers said that although they had no control over the Chevron/Texaco and VROM miscommunication, they were the ones suffering from it. “We want Commissioner Theo Heyliger’s immediate assistance,” assistant station manager Macressa Simon said. “Let him call or come and visit us. We need to know what is going on and what will happen to our families this Christmas.”
When told of the workers’ plea, Heyliger said everything was being done to ensure that the works would resume as soon as possible, but this required the cooperation of all parties.
