Dear Editor,
Reference is made to “TIGI’s request for info from ExxonMobil, gov’t has gone unheeded” (May 3). Reference is also made to commentaries and news reports (May 3 and other preceding dates) of conflict of interest (COI) between board members (including Chair) and granting of contracts and other business transactions at various government entities. The list of COI seems long. The government has failed the public on transparency and accountability on business transactions. This government is moving in a direction that it is not much different from its predecessor. Clearly, as TIGI complains, Exxon is not complying with laws or rules and government is not pressuring Exxon to release information critical to hold it accountable. While the transactions, at GuyOil, GPL, NDIA, GUYSUCO, and other government agencies stink to the high heavens, the Exxon-government business arrangement also has elements of conflict of interest in the country. There seems to be a reversal of roles between government and investor. Government is complying with Exxon’s behaviour, not the other way around. Government is not behaving like it is in charge of the country and of foreign investment.
Despite the unfair and lopsided contracts that were signed by the previous government, this government is brazen enough to be pursuing a gas to shore project which, going by information so far released, does not justify it. The proposal is one sided. It will further enrich Exxon which is laughing all the way to the bank. Exxon states that Guyana is its most profitable venture, and it is divesting of projects elsewhere to concentrate on Guyana. A proper analysis or study has not been done for deep ocean gas to shore but government announced it will be done. Guyana is the only country where a project is announced and then the government announces that a study will be done to justify it, not the other way around as is done in all other countries and with all other investments. Imagine, a price tag of US$900M is arrived at although no feasibility study was done. And the two individuals who announced the price tag are not engineers are all-brilliant. This gas to shore project would be the mother of all conflicts. The government will pay for infrastructure and Exxon will own it, and government will pay Exxon rent for it. Guyana owns the gas but will purchase it from Exxon. This proposed business arrangement stinks like the flaring of methane gas that emanates under sea. I also fear of funky business arrangement with land owners of friends and family members who will cash in at exorbitant prices of the planned route of the 21 KM pipeline from Crane to Wales.
The Exxon gas arrangement and gas to shore are not the only projects stinking. The stench stinks elsewhere: at several Ministries, at agencies like GuyOil, GPL, NDIA, etc., in contracts being held up from bona fide contractors; with incestuous contract practices, and of contracts being given to high ranking individuals affiliated with Ministries and or family members; with trawler licenses issued without transparency; nepotism in hiring practices; etc. The Prime Minister is quoted in SN (May 3) as saying there would be no probe of GPL purchase of vehicles. Editor, the known conflicts of interests and bad business practices since last August are linked to individuals who faced similar issues behavior pre May 2015. For some inexplicable reason, individuals with questionable reputation are attracted to this government and vice versa. Few individuals of stature and integrity have been hired over the last nine months, and they are not in high profiles positions. It is not by accident that individuals of integrity are not linked to questionable business practices.
I voted for this government in March 2020 because I thought it would have learned from its history of indiscretions. The then opposition leadership between 2015 and 2020 said they learned from their mistakes and committed to transparent governance. Clearly, no lesson was learnt. It is back to secretive transactions. TIGI and the public must up the pressure for accountability and transparency that have eluded this administration to since August.
Sincerely,
Jagnarine Kumar Singh
