Senator Kurt Vialet has recently learned through a West Indies Petroleum Limited (WIPL) press release that “contrary to media reports it is not a stakeholder in the Limetree Bay Refinery in St. Croix in the US Virgin Islands and was not the entity which purchased the refinery.” This revelation leaves the senator baffled and confused.
According to many reputable local and national media sources, WIPL won the Limetree Bay Refinery with its $62 million bid in December of 2021. At the time, the firm made a commitment to be environmentally responsible in its operation of the facility. The entire deal was completed on January 24, 2022 and WIPL was deemed “the new owner.”
In light of this new information, the senator is requesting that these series of events are taken seriously and explored thoroughly. Since Port Hamilton Refining and Transportation (PHRT) was not an original bidder, but is now considered the new owner, a number of factors should be taken into consideration to include:
- Which entity the refinery was awarded to, according to bankruptcy
proceedings - Which entity established environmental liability with the Environment
Protection Agency - Disclosure of owners, partners, and investors of PHRT
- Does PHRT have the financial resources to restart and maintain the
refinery - Does the withdrawal of WIPL create a legal issue
The senator is calling on the Executive Branch to immediately probe into this matter. “The Government of the Virgin Islands must protect its environmental and economic interest”, said Vialet.