ExxonMobil believes Ministry of Natural Resources Petroleum Director, Gopnauth ‘Bobby’ Gossai, to be a man “caught in the middle” of the controversy surrounding the unauthorised reduction of IHS Markit’s US$214 million questionable audit sums and regrets that he will be disciplined.
“I feel very sorry for Mr. Gossai. I feel he has been somewhat caught in the middle and was working diligently and in support of the process. Unfortunately, you know, the right people haven’t got to the right people and he has been left carrying that, but I think he has worked diligently and with the best of intent,” ExxonMobil Country President Alistair Routledge yesterday told a press conference, where the company finally made public its views on Gossai’s role.
Routledge said that Gossai had been the point person at the Ministry of Natural Resources and later learned that he wasn’t authorised to conduct the engagement and instead it was the Guyana Revenue Authority.
Questioned yesterday on who initiated the audit review, Routledge said that it was the Ministry of Natural Resources and that Gossai had requested documents to validate that the company had correctly spent on the sums flagged.
“Remember the history. This started under the previous administration; the Department of Energy, then the ministry picked it up so they provided us the report from IHS Markit. So, it came to us from the ministry the report from IHS market and then we had been providing responses to whoever needs to review those.”
“He was asking to provide the documentation we were not aware of who all might be reviewing it; the process is very clear [now] it is to be with the GRA,” he added.
Gossai has been blamed for the audit fiasco where the US$214 million was slashed to US$3 million and he is to be disciplined, a statement released by Minister of Natural Resources on October 5th said. The minister made known the government’s position after hours earlier, submitting to Cabinet a report on his ministry entering into direct negotiations with ExxonMobil to reduce the US$214 million in questionable cost oil costs.
Stabroek News had reached out to Gossai who said that he had no immediate comment. “I have no formal comment at this time.”
This newspaper understands that Gossai was asked by Minister of Natural Resources, Vickram Bharrat, to prepare a report into the circumstances leading up to the discussions between the Ministry of Natural Resources and ExxonMobil, which he did.
And while there is no word on what disciplinary actions will be taken against Gossai, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo said that the Minister and the Permanent Secretary Joslyn McKenzie should make this known.
“I think they need to speak more on this matter. I will urge them to speak…,” Jagdeo last week stated.
But several calls and messages by Stabroek News to both the Minister and the Permanent Secretary have received no response.
Up to yesterday it was still unclear what disciplinary actions would be taken against Gossai.
Routledge was asked if the company would cooperate with government or police if either held investigations on the issue, and he responded, “We always cooperate with authorities on investigations where we may be required or have pertinent information that is normal.”
