Former Auditor General, Anand Goolsarran says ExxonMobil’s funding of a recent trip by five government ministers to its Texas headquarters was improper and that the Guyana Government should reimburse the company.
Writing in his accountability column in today’s Stabroek News (see page 8), Goolsarran also cited several laws that would have been breached as a result.
“First, both the Government and Exxon-Mobil should have been aware that it is highly inappropriate from an ethical and moral standpoint for the latter to fund the trip. The agreement with ExxonMobil is in the nature of a procurement contract, and our Procurement Act prohibits the acceptance of gifts and other favours from suppliers/contractors”, Goolsarran declared. He said that the acceptance of the gift/favour has the potential of influencing decisions in favour of suppliers/contractors and therefore presents a potential conflict of interest.
“Additionally, the Integrity Commission Act has a … Code of Conduct (schedule) that prohibits the acceptance of gifts and other favours. The Code has
