Jagdeo says arbitration may be best option over IHS Markit audit finding

Bharrat Jagdeo

As ExxonMobil points to arbitration as being its last resort, the government yesterday said that process may be the best option to determine the matter, as it would not accept any other sums than the US$214.4 million as advised by both IHS Markit and the Guyana Revenue Authority.

“This is the easiest way. And given also, the kind of populism… I think you need an independent third party to deal with this. If you settle on any figure with Exxon. If you settle at US$200 million, you would have somebody saying, we gave into Exxon. And if you settle at US$3 million, it is worse, and therefore you need a third party that would deal with all of these issues maybe a third party that would be agreed to,” Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo told a press conference yesterday.