The visiting chairman of the all-powerful US House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee, Jason Smith has underlined the need for expanding American participation in the Guyana oil and gas sector and to outcompete China in this arena.
While both Washington and Beijing have been quietly jockeying for influence here, the US Congressman from the state of Missouri was not shy about stating this yesterday.
Smith, a Republic and a businessman, said in a release issued by the House Ways and Means Committee in Washington DC that he had met here yesterday with President Irfaan Ali and Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo and had stated his interest in expanding America’s participation in Guyana’s energy production where US oil major ExxonMobil is the lead player.