Commentator Joel Bhagwandin yesterday said that there was no conflict of interest in his role as a Public Procurement Commission (PPC) Commissioner and the fact that he had been on the payroll of ExxonMobil Guyana Limited (EMGL).
On Sunday, Bhagwandin, a financial analyst, declared that he had terminated a contract with EMGL for the provision of advice on Government Affairs and political matters. In a letter in Stabroek News on July 16, he disclosed that he and EMGL had a difference of opinion over his attacks on AFC Leader Nigel Hughes and as a result, he (Bhagwandin) took a decision to terminate his contract.
Following his disclosure, Stabroek News contacted the PPC to determine if it had been aware that Bhagwandin had been on the payroll of EMGL and whether that posed a conflict in his role as commissioner. There has so far been no response from the PPC.
Yesterday, Bhagwandin dispatched a letter to this newspaper citing the query to the PPC and denying that there was a conflict.
“As regards conflicts of interest at the commission level there hasn’t been any matter regarding EMGL that has ever engaged the attention of the Commission for a decision or deliberation. As such, there was never any conflict-of-interest situation specific to EMGL and the undersigned as a commissioner of the Public Procurement Commission”, he said.
He emphasized that EMGL’s operations are regulated under distinct legislative frameworks, citing the Petroleum Agreement (2016) and other statutes, which fall outside the Commission’s purview.
Bhagwandin added that the Commission’s records will confirm his proactive approach to conflicts of interest. He disclosed that on two separate occasions, complaints were lodged by private companies regarding public tenders they participated in—one of which was a past client and the other a current client of SphereX. Bhagwandin said he disclosed these matters to the Commission and recused himself accordingly, demonstrating a commitment to transparency and ethical conduct.
Furthermore, Bhagwandin highlighted his recusal from the recruitment process for Commission staff, particularly in instances where candidates were personally known to him.
Bhagwandin has recently stirred controversy with his public condemnation of EMGL’s association with Hughes, Leader of the Alliance for Change (AFC).
Bhagwandin’s concerns were articulated through various media platforms and culminated in an interview on National Television, where he underscored the potential ethical breaches inherent in EMGL’s actions. The crux of Bhagwandin’s argument rested on EMGL’s failure to adhere to its internal anti-corruption policies and political activities guidelines.
