Distancing itself from a workshop on local policies ExxonMobil says its engagement with the APNU+AFC government on business and policy initiatives is similar to its practices globally and should not be cause for worry.
“ExxonMobil will continue to engage the government and other stakeholders on policies that can affect our business. This is a general position adopted by ExxonMobil wherever we operate,” Public and Government Affairs Advisor, Janelle Persaud told Stabroek News.
Her statements came in response to concerns raised by letter writer Erin Northe that the company should not be allowed to influence what should be critical national issues.
“Aside from the lopsided deal signed with ExxonMobil in 2016, why is the caretaker APNU+AFC Government allowing or facilitating ExxonMobil’s influence to shadow what should be critical national issues? What was the rationale for allowing ExxonMobil to produce a plan for how our take of revenues from the oil and gas sector should be spent? Why is the caretaker APNU+AFC Government not limiting ExxonMobil’s influence on what should be a locally determined national policy trajectory? Who is making the decisions on the engagements between Guyana and ExxonMobil?” Northe questioned.
“Engagements with foreign companies are not unwelcomed, but this must take place in a framework that does not negatively impact national interests,” Northe added.
Northe made reference to a September 18th workshop where only a selected few members of the Private Sector were invited, which lists plans that are similar to a party’s political manifesto and where ExxonMobil would inform on business strategies here. The writer said that the workshop came under what ExxonMobil is calling the ‘Shared Prosperity Initiative’, led by, Dr. Michael Porter, and Dr. Jorge Ramirez. Porter has had connections with ExxonMobil.
“The letter that I have seen proposed an invitation-only workshop on Wednesday, September 18th, 2019 to discuss: Performance of key economic areas in Guyana, with a view of making sure all players are working from the same foundation as it relates to economic data (statistics from Guyana and other countries that will be provided by ExxonMobil), Methodology and tools where ExxonMobil will provide our local private sector with tools, such as drivers of competitiveness, to deal with cluster mapping and cluster development, which is to say that ExxonMobil will tell Guyanese where certain industries are concentrated and how they could be developed,” Norte stated.
“National Value Proposition where ExxonMobil will identify where the opportunities for economic advantages are. Identification of ‘quick wins’, which is the identification of economic areas where benefits can be realised immediately”, the letter added.
But according to ExxonMobil, the workshop was facilitated by the Harvard Business School under a research project and it will in no way influence that process.
“The workshop in question is part of a project being undertaken by Michael Porter’s Institute for Strategy and Competitiveness at the Harvard Business School. ExxonMobil is not directing the conduct of the initiative and will have no say in the institute’s findings,” Persaud said.
Northe said that ExxonMobil’s engagement with government to propose a plan on how oil monies can be used to develop various sectors and selected industries via the development of a national competitiveness strategy, is not needed as both government and the opposition has a document it can readily work from.
“Guyana has a National Competitivness Strategy. It is a 125-page document titled ‘Enhancing National Competiveness – A National Competitiveness Strategy for Guyana’. The document’s completion was the result of in-house work, through a partnership between the former PPP/C government and the local private sector. The strategy already in existence is a comprehensive one. It deals with: The Rationale for Competitiveness Strategy; Key Elements of Competitiveness Strategy; Core Competitiveness Policies; Sector Strategies; Policies Targeting Strategic Sub-sectors; Overarching Enablers; and the Partnership Approach. Importantly, the interests of local companies – while not ignoring foreign investments – were addressed in a comprehensive way, from the promotion of local trade to addressing legislation that takes note of Guyana’s specific local circumstances, as well as includes recommendations that build on local experience,” Northe pointed out.
“Why do we need to re-invent the wheel on this issue? Why is what we have not being built on? Why is the work being done by a foreign company? Why is the successful model of government/local private sector partnership being ignored?” Norte adds.
Northe said that a “national government has the responsibility to act in the interest of the Guyanese people, first and foremost – not place the interest of foreign companies as the priority”.
