Long-term consultant to the government Sir Shridath Ramphal has refused to discuss his role in the controversial Bridging Deed signed by government with ExxonMobil and its partners in 2016, for which he performed the role of Escrow Agent.
The Bridging Deed purported to keep alive the 1999 Petroleum Agree-ment and provided for the signing of a New Petro-leum Agreement with ExxonMobil’s subsidiary Esso Exploration and Pro-duction Guyana Limited (EEPGL), and partners Hess Guyana Exploration Limited and CNOOC Nexen Petroleum Guyana Limited.
However, attorney and activist Christopher Ram has pointed out, among other things, that while the Deed provided for the signing of the New Petroleum Agreement on the date of the Bridging Deed, the New Petroleum Agreement had already been signed and executed.
