GOVERNMENT has not received any report from the State Assets Recovery Agency (SARA), regarding the nature and extent of the investigation into the award of oil blocks.

According to reports, SARA is currently looking into the questionable award of oil blocks to “junior” companies by the former People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Administration just days before the 2015 Elections.

“We learnt about these reports from the media and that is where they are coming from…Government cannot jump on a media report, we have to be guided by evidence which is produced by the agency and they will make a report through the respective government minister, and cabinet will deliberate on it,” said Director General of the Ministry of the Presidency, Joseph Harmon, during a post-cabinet press briefing on Friday.

Harmon said when the current administration was voted into office in 2015, it clearly stated that it would respect the sanctity of contracts.

“Unless there is changing circumstances or if an agency such as SARA or any law enforcement agency discovers that in the award of those contracts there was something illegal or there was a fundamental breach of some part of our law, then the government will be prepared to throw its weight behind the agency to ensure that we have an outcome that is in the interest of the people of Guyana…it must be based on the evidence which comes before us,” the Director General said.

Government, he said, is not contending whether the award of contracts was wrong or right but, it will be guided by evidence when it is produced by SARA or any other law enforcement agency.

It was reported that 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, are “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 (Donald) 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.”

Oil and Gas Consultant, Dr. Jan Mangal, believes that President David Granger should rescind the awards of the Kaieteur and Canje Blocks.