Keeping information from the public only results in distrust and contracts for all of the country’s natural resources should be published, says Government’s Petroleum Advisor Jan Mangal.
“The signing bonus and all revenues should be disclosed. There are no pros for non-disclosure, only cons,” Mangal told Stabroek News in response to questions posed on the emerging oil and gas sector and the controversy over the US$18m payment from ExxonMobil which had been kept secret by the government.
“Evidence from around the world is overwhelming that secrecy never benefits the people,” he further noted.