Jagdeo cites local content concerns, opposition ties as gov’t walks from upcoming petroleum summit

Shariq Abdul-Hai

As United Kingdom-based company Valiant Business Media (VBM) prepares to host the third Guyana Petroleum Exhibition (GIPEX) summit virtually next month, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo on Friday announced that government would not be participating, citing concerns about inadequate local content initiatives and accusing the organisers of ties to the opposition.

“Once this Valiant is organising it, we will not participate and I am making that very clear,” Jagdeo yesterday told a press conference he hosted at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC).

It is not the first time Jagdeo had expressed concern about the hosting of the forum as when he had been Leader of the opposition, he had condemned the then seeming lack of local participation and the exorbitant costs for display booths.