…dismiss claims as ‘nonsense’, urge int’l probe

LEADER of the Opposition, Bharrat Jagdeo, and People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Presidential Candidate, Irfaan Ali, have been linked to the controversial companies that are at the centre of an investigation over the manner in which they were awarded oil blocks in the dying days of the former government.

The Guyana Chronicle was told that both men allegedly have interests in the companies – a claim they both vehemently denied on Thursday.

“We’ve not received a single cent from any oil company,” Jagdeo stated on Thursday during the question and answer segment of his weekly press conference. He later added, when questioned whether these were received by his party through the Party’s Former Minister of Natural Resources, Robert Persaud: “I’m not aware of that. I’m not aware of that. I’m not aware of it.” He now joins former President, Donald Ramotar, who is accused of issuing Petroleum Prospecting Licenses for key oil blocks to inexperienced operators just days before the 2015 General and Regional Elections, in denying any form of incriminating involvement.

At the press conference, Jagdeo was also questioned whether he or any other party member has shares or interest in the oil companies which he denied on behalf of himself. “You’re asking me now if I have an interest in oil and gas [or] any of the companies. The answer is no; the answer is no, not any interest whatsoever,” he said, referring to the question as “loaded”.

The local State Assets Recovery Agency (SARA) is currently looking into the questionable award of oil blocks to “junior” companies by the former PPP administration just days before the 2015 Elections.

Ratio Guyana, which holds 25 per cent in the Kaieteur Block; JHI Associates Inc. (JHI) which holds 17.5 per cent in the Canje Block and Mid Atlantic Oil & Gas Inc. (MOGI) which holds 12.5 per cent in the same, have been labelled as “inexperienced” in deep water exploration by oil and gas experts.

International news agencies such as Bloomberg and others have individually noted that “rights to drill the area were awarded during the final days of Ramotar’s term” and “nine days after the Kaieteur lease was signed, the government announced that Exxon had struck oil in a well called Liza-1”.

On the other end, members of the Guyanese public, though non-specialists in the oil and gas sector, are questioning whether they have indeed been shortchanged by the administration.

Oil and Gas Consultant, Dr. Jan Mangal, believes that the President should rescind the awards of the Kaieteur and Canje Blocks. Posed the same question as Jagdeo, Ali told the newspaper on Thursday that he too has no ties to the oil companies. “Absolute nonsense and ridiculous; I have no interest, no shares nothing,” he said.

He also told this newspaper that he has not been contacted by any investigative agency in this regard. Earlier in the month, Romotar had claimed that the process involved in the awarding of the oil blocks in 2015 utilised “full transparency”.

Meanwhile, Persaud distanced himself from the ongoing investigations by defending himself as above board. “The PPP/C’s achievements and unwavering determination in laying the foundations for Guyana to be an oil-producing nation has been both stellar and transparent, as well as in full conformity with all relevant laws and regulations,” he contended.

They have all called for an independent investigation into the matter as opposed to SARA’s investigation. Jagdeo also stated on Thursday that should such conditions be met, the PPP will accept whatever the findings are. “The party’s position on this matter is if there is a need for an independent investigation, we will support it. Two, an independent investigation cannot be done by SARA and whatever the consequences and findings are, we [will] live with the findings,” he stated.