Former Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley has raised significant concerns over the government’s proposal to reopen the Pointe-a-Pierre refinery, cautioning that it could burden taxpayers with new financial losses and potentially lead to private interests gaining control of Paria Fuel Trading Company. During a Facebook Live broadcast on November 17, Rowley refuted claims that the refinery’s closure under the previous PNM administration was politically motivated, asserting that it was solely due to the facility’s unsustainable financial condition. He revealed that the State is still servicing over US$400 million in debt tied to oil purchases for the refinery, emphasizing that Petrotrin had been hemorrhaging billions of dollars. Rowley argued that unless the government can secure a credible and sustainable oil supply to make the refinery commercially viable, any reopening linked to Paria could pave the way for private or quasi-private control of the nation’s fuel supply. He warned that such a scenario would allow private owners to dictate fuel prices, urging citizens to remain vigilant. Rowley also criticized the government’s lack of transparency on key details of the refinery proposal and expressed concerns about the potential politicization of First Citizens bank, whose share price has declined significantly. He called for the restoration of investor confidence and cautioned against repeating past financial missteps.