Guardian ( Trinidad and Tobago )
26 January 2023 ( Page 21 )
Tiger Tanks: Gov't must lead the way in environmental protection
A local businessman involved in hazardous waste management for energy companies in TAT and the region said government must have the political will to lead the way In protecting and preserving the environment. Dennis Latiff, regional manager of Tiger Tanks Trinidad, a subsidiary of US based Tiger Offshore a company servicing the upstream and downstream energy companies in Latin America and the Caribbean, said everyone must be on board to preserve the environment. lie added that government must demonstrate that they are serious about protecting the environ ment. Latiff in a recent interview said there is much talk about green energy but alternatives are very expensive and there are very little or no incentives for companies to go green. Tiger Tanks Trinidad is a subsidiary of Tiger Offshore with headquarters in Houston. Texas. Latiff said his company specialises in reliable cargo carrying equipment and services cater to all drilling, completion and production operations. lie said Tiger Tanks specialises in waste management, tank cleaning and oil and acid spills/emergency response He recalled how Tiger Tanks first came to Guyana in 2011 to assist in the drilling operations of Repsol to provide waste management services along with cargo carrying units and tank cleaning of the work boats and offshore rig. tariff said the company was also directly involved in the shore base activities and assisted in training personnel. He said they applied for an environmental certificate and obtained one while also working with the environmental authorities to educate themselves on what was required. "After this first drilling operation there was nothing new on the hot* zon, but keeping with our commitment instincts, we did not leave, and decided to wait. Every year then on, we kept renewing our environmental permit. Then it happened in the fantastic year of 2015. Exxon appeared and Tiger was prepared and ready. Take note, that from Inception in Guyana we hired Guyanese personnel and trained them here and in Trinidad to operate, run and manage our equipment." latiff said during 'waiting years' the Guyanese employees were brought to Trinidad to work and gain experience. He said he Is very pleased that he followed his instincts and decided to stay in Guyana. 1 would like to point out that since the new era of oil, Tiger has grown from strength to strength, firstly by hiring Guyanese personnel of different calibres from labourers, technicians, skilled workers and management personnel and bringing in experienced personnel from Trinidad to work and grow the local workforce. In 2018 (before the Local Content Law came about)Tiger Rentals Guyana already had 24 local persons operating, numing and maintaining our waste plant and other services in Guyana among a handful of TIM% dadians. To date, Latiff said there a 34 Guyanese operating, maintain' and managing. the first hazardo waste management facility In Cu ana located at Shorebase. He sa they were prepared for the future Guyana. Tiger Tanks has now teamed with local financial services grou (landinBand to establish a new company. Environmental and Technical Solutions Inc (EIS). catering to hazardous waste treatment In the oil and gas sector in Guyana. The company, which was bunched last week was recently awarded a fiveyear contract by Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Ltd to treat hazardous waste.