Dear Editor,
I firmly believe my resignation is the best solution for both SARA and myself, and ultimately for the country.
First, it will protect the investigation which many want to see stopped. It will also allow SARA to address the issue of what information is being leaked or tampered with given that files associated with the issuance of oil blocks appear to not be safe.
Second, it will hopefully allow the media to focus on the many critical issues facing the nation such as the upcoming elections with a credible list.
Third, it may diminish the personal threats that have increased since the media frenzy.
In the final analysis, there was much creative journalism in this matter. The fact of the matter is that I was not actively involved in ABR Oil & Gas since 2016 but I was President of the African Business Roundtable until 2018.The African Business Roundtable is a business service organization similar to the Private Sector Commission or the Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association or the Chinese Business Association.
The ABR Oil & Gas is a separate entity which applied, like many other groups, for one of the remaining blocks in 2016. I was not involved in the application process as there was a separate Management Team responsible for that company.
This confusion in the media, between the dates and especially between the African Business Roundtable (ABR) and ABR Oil & Gas, the applicant in 2016, gives rise to the perception of a conflict, therefore a conflict exists.
The application for the block in 2016 was never responded to by the Government of Guyana or GGMC since 2016, although an award was made by the Government in 2017 to Tullow for the Orinduik block, therefore indicating the ABR Oil & Gas application was passed over.
Yours faithfully,
Eric Phillips
