Marcelle Thomas

ExxonMobil has secured approval for its Payara project in the Stabroek Block offshore Guyana and an agreement, which would also cater for stiff fines for flaring violations and a commitment that reservoir water be treated to international standards before dumping, should be signed soon, Minister of Natural Resources Vickram Bharrat has said.

As he announced that rehiring of sugar workers at Rose Hall estate began yesterday, President Irfaan Ali said government is now focused on redeveloping farmlands in order to deliver on its campaign promise to reopen shuttered estates since the former administration left the industry in ruins. 

Government’s immediate focus in the oil and gas sector is on the review of ExxonMobil’s Payara project, local content, and a natural gas to shore project, President Irfaan Ali said yesterday.

Despite decades of concerns that governments have repeatedly abused the state media for political gain and to viciously attack opponents, the new PPP/C government plans to retain all aspects of the sector.

With Guyana being described as the “sunshine of oil countries” by one investor, a number of oil and gas projects are forging ahead here despite the contraction of the global economy due to the fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic, and Minister of Natural Resources Vickram Bharrat sees this as indicative of confidence in this country, its governance and economy.

President Irfaan Ali believes that the maritime shiprider agreement signed yesterday with the United States and which goes into effect on Monday will not put this country at risk of Venezuelan aggression or negatively impact its border controversy case currently at the International Court of Justice (ICJ).  “That should not be any fear because the agreement points out specifically about the modus operandi that has to take place before the engagement and the involvement of the Government of Guyana and we are not involved in that and this agreement is to help us in our sovereignty issue; it will help us automatically if we have greater assets in the water but it also gives us that ability to protect our Exclusive Economic Zone [EEZ],” Ali told reporters at State House, George-town following the signing of the agreement.

The Guyana Government yesterday dismissed concerns that United States Secretary of State Michael Pompeo’s visit here this week will entail discussions on Venezuela and said that emphasis should be placed on Washington’s assistance in bringing investment opportunities here.  “It is a regional visit and the visit obviously has interests of the US and has mutual benefits for all of the member states involved,” Minister of Foreign Affairs Hugh Todd told the Stabroek News last even-ing when contacted.

Minister of Natural Resources Vickram Bharrat says that US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo’s visit this week is in no way tied to permits being processed for ExxonMobil’s Payara well and that the US oil major must meet the necessary requirements and environmental standards before any approval is granted.

With an average payment of about US$46 per barrel of oil, Guyana this week received US$46M for its third 1M barrels of oil entitlement and this reflects an increase of more than US$10 dollars per barrel than it received on its last lift.

Former Chairman of the Guyana National Broadcasting Authority (GNBA) Leslie Sobers has defended the decision to simultaneously act as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the agency alongside another Board member since 2017 and to be paid separate salaries and Board stipend allowances for both posts.

On the heels of a key decision on approvals for ExxonMobil’s Payara well for which the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) had outlined a number of critical concerns, the agency’s Director Dr Vincent Adams was yesterday sent on immediate leave by the PPP/C administration.

Underscoring the importance of contract sanctity to investors, ExxonMobil yesterday hinted that it was willing to discuss with government the local content areas it can give more to but drew the line at any renegotiation of the controversial 2016 Production Sharing Agreement (PSA).

The services of Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Central Housing and Planning Authority, Lelon Saul were yesterday terminated with immediate effect and he says he finds it incomprehensible that government can sanction the firing of the head of an independent corporation.  “My services was terminated from the 25th of August 2020, that is today,” Saul told Stabroek News when contacted.

Liberty and Justice Party Leader and incoming parliamentarian Lenox Shuman and Private Sector Commission Chairman Gerry Gouveia say that their advisory positions with government will not conflict with their other portfolios, nor will the salaried work beholden them  in any way to the PPP/C administration.

More Guyanese are coming forward with stories on how they lost big after being lured into investments with Accelerated Capital Firm Inc (ACFI) which is now the subject of a major Ponzi scheme investigation here.

Alliance for Change (AFC) Leader Khemraj Ramjattan says the party will go into the 12th Parliament with an independent voice but not break ranks with former governing coalition partner APNU as it believes a united front is needed against the PPP/C.

ExxonMobil’s refusal to pay two fines to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will see the oil major for the first time being taken to court by the agency which yesterday sounded a warning that it will not be intimidated.

The PPP/C’s flagship hydropower project at Amaila Falls, which was canned by the APNU+AFC administration back in late 2017, will be resuscitated, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo says even as the new government forges ahead with the construction of the Kato hydropower project as part of its future energy mix.

Concerns raised by Guyana’s oversight agencies were among reasons for an expanded examination of plans for ExxonMobil’s proposed third oil well, Payara, and the former premier of Alberta, Canada who is heading up the review had been recommended by the Canadian Government This was disclosed yesterday by Natural Resources Minister, Vickram Bharrat amid continuing questions about the purpose behind the review of ExxonMobil’s Field Development Plan (FDP) for Payara and whether Canadian Queen’s Counsel, Alison Redford was the appropriate person for this exercise.

As he plans a career outside of politics, former Minister of Business Dominic Gaskin says Alliance for Change (AFC) leaders made a serious misjudgment in not calling out the District Four fraud perpetrated by Returning Officer Clairmont Mingo and he also faulted Guyana Elections Commission Chair Claudette Singh for not acting more decisively in the five-month-long elections crisis.