Dear Editor,
Wesley Kirton displays naiveté when he writes that the PPP should not protest the GIPEX and instead seek a speaking role at the event. Is Mr. Kirton aware that he is asking the PPP to participate in an event that is tainted? Attendance by the PPP will give legitimacy to an event set to rake in money by way of exorbitant Delegate and Exhibitor fees (USD 2000-12000) and other means.
The lucrative exclusive ‘rights’ to host the official “Guyana International Petroleum Business Summit & Exhibition” (GIPEX-2019) have been granted to Valiant Business Media, communications about GIPEX are handled by Alena Trotman, who is listed as the company’s Business Development Officer. With 600 delegates and 200 plus exhibitors, this London based company is set to earn significantly from this single event. Valiant is represented by Shariq AbdulHai, who says he is the ‘managing’ director; he, in fact, is the only director. Valiant has assets of USD 364,000 and Debt of USD 96,000. Valiant has no record of doing anything other than GIPEX. Valiant was formerly known as Brazen London Limited and has no record of business activity in its one month of existence before the name change.
When one adds the fact that Ms. Alena Trotman is the daughter of Raphael Trotman, Hon. Minister of Natural Resources, Valiant has no other business of note and the acquisition of the exclusive rights without use of the tender process, then, attendance by any person or entity can be seen as an act of collusion with a questionable event.
Unless plausible explanations are offered and evidence of Valiant’s merit is provided, this event can be seen as nothing more than another attempt to milk the Guyanese coffers.
Yours faithfully,
Robin Singh
