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The Government of Guyana scandal of how the Ministry of Natural Resources whittled down US$214 million to US$3m of disputed expenses claimed by Esso, Hess, and CNOOC for the period 1999 – 2017, continues to evolve.
Exxon Mobil Guyana the principal of the co-venturers said in a veiled statement, September 22, 2023, “The Government has audit rights under Article 23 and Annex C of the Stabroek Petroleum Agreement. We have acted in good faith and co-operated with the Government and their consultants appointed for the cost recovery audit of the 1999-2017 years.”
Economist Elson Low, Adviser to the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) said the party’s weekly press conference, on September 21, 2023, that “Guyanese do not believe for one minute that the Second Vice President was unaware that Ministry officials were in the process of negotiating a 214 million reduction in the questionable expenses highlighted in Guyana’s first oil audit.”
He said, “The Vice President’s history is characterized by many lies, misinformation, and inconsistencies. The Vice President is known to be a control freak who does not allow people to operate based on professional competence. When the Opposition met with ExxonMobil’s representatives just a few days ago, Exxon representatives stated definitively that this reduction had been agreed to by the government.”
The Economist stated, ”If Bharrat Jagdeo, the nation’s chief oil policymaker did not know of and agree with this outcome, how could the operator express such confidence that the matter was settled? Rather than blaming public servants for carrying out the tasks assigned to them, Jagdeo and his cabal need to explain to the nation what really was going on at the Ministry of Natural Resources.”
Exxon Mobil Guyana in its statement said, “We have supplied responses and documents to the issues raised in the draft audit report prepared for the Government by their consultant. We now await a formal response from the Government, after which we will enter into further dialogue as necessary.”
