— President Granger says non-disclosure no intention to deceive

PRESIDENT David Granger on Wednesday made it clear that his administration acted legitimately by accepting the US$18M signing bonus from U.S. oil giant ExxonMobil and placing same into an escrow account at the Bank of Guyana.

He told reporters that the money was received to address national security matters. Speaking with reporters on the sidelines of an accreditation ceremony held at State House, the head-of-state said he takes full responsibility for government’s decision on the matter.
“I am the head of government, I am responsible, I am aware of it and it is a legitimate Government of Guyana exercise and I am aware that it is Bank of Guyana in Escrow – once it is an Escrow account, it means that it cannot be used for purposes for which it is not intended,” he said in response to questions on the issue.

The President maintained that there was nothing wrong or illegal done, stressing that “It is a legitimate Government of Guyana practice and the money has not been dishonestly acquired and has not been used for purposes for which it is not intended.”
He explained that the money was received at a time he believes that was necessary, given “some national security implications.”

“It is a legitimate exercise, it is to be used for certain matters which we perceive to be of national security interest and [at] that point in time it was the thing to do, so that we can have access in the event of a national security emergency,” he said.
After months of denying that it received a signing bonus from the U.S. oil company, government last Friday through subject Minister Raphael Trotman admitted before the National Assembly that Guyana accepted funds from ExxonMobil to assist with protecting the country’s territorial sovereignty.

He did not disclose the amount of money, but instead described it as a “large sum” geared towards the payment of legal and associated fees, should the Secretary-General of the United Nations refer the Guyana-Venezuela border controversy to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for final ruling.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres appointed Dag Nylander his Personal Representative on the border controversy between Guyana and Venezuela, to work with both Guyana and Venezuela with a view to resolving the border controversy.
Both countries have steadfastly maintained their positions, while observers have noted that taking the controversy to the ICJ for a final resolution will be costly for Guyana.
“Mr Speaker, we did what we did to preserve the safety and well-being of the people of Guyana and to safeguard the sovereignty,” declared Trotman, who called on the opposition to blame his administration for securing the country’s territorial sovereignty.

DID WHAT WAS RIGHT
“Let us be blamed! Let us be blamed for doing what is right,” said Trotman.
Trotman’s admission followed media publication of a letter written by the Finance Secretary Hector Butts on the signing bonus granted by ExxonMobil, requesting the opening of a bank of account to receive the signing bonus.
Government has been repeatedly called upon by civil society, Transparency International Guyana, the opposition People’s Progressive Party (PPP), as well as the Working People’s Alliance (WPA), one of the parties forming the APNU+AFC coalition government to release Guyana’s agreement with the U.S. oil giant.
Trotman said the leaking of the said document was “deliberately organised to cause some embarrassment to this government.”
“What Mr Speaker, I would say is…they meant evil by releasing this letter,” said the minister. The letter was published by the Stabroek News and the Guyana Times newspapers. Government had said that it will release the entire contract by month-end.

NO INTENTION TO DECEIVE
Meanwhile, asked why government chose to keep the signing bonus a secret, President Granger said it is not a question of secrecy, noting that “evidence of non-disclosure does not mean there is evidence of any intention of deception.”
“There is no intention to deceive, but no need to make it public; it is a governmental decision and I make governmental decisions all the time; it is not deceptive — the transaction was conducted on government letterhead paper between two state agencies, the Bank of Guyana and the Ministry of Finance.”

When told that ministers who ought to have been au fait with the transaction had denied that the transaction occurred, the President said, “I am not sure that all the ministers were aware of the transactions.”

Asked if the minister of finance was not aware, as he had in the past said there was no signing bonus, the President said, the transaction was conducted through the Finance Ministry’s finance secretary and the Bank of Guyana.
“I know that the transaction was conducted through the financial secretary, but as I pointed out it is on government paper, it is between the Bank of Guyana, it is a legitimate transaction and I am aware of it and I am responsible for everything surrounding that transaction.”

President Granger stressed that the matter of the signing bonus was dealt with in that manner, because there were national security implications.
“That’s the only reason it was transacted in that manner and I am responsible for national security and it is my decision,” he declared.
On Sunday, ExxonMobil Guyana through its Country Manager, Rod Henson, confirmed that the company paid a US$18M signing bonus to Guyana, one which he said was earned by the country.

Henson told members of the media following a public lecture on Oil Spill Readiness Response at the Queen’s College auditorium, that such bonuses are “customary and normal in many petroleum agreements.”
He said the money was paid into a Bank of Guyana account last year, one that is owned by the Government of Guyana and which falls under the management of the Ministry of Finance.

Noting its reputation as a business entity, he said the company has no role in how the money would be spent.

Henson said too that the oil company is a member of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI), the global standard for the good governance of oil, gas and mineral resources.