GEA Inspector recorded soliciting ‘deal for friend’ still on the job

Jul 30, 2021 News

Kaieteur News – A senior fuel inspector attached to the Guyana Energy Agency (GEA) who was caught on a recording, directing a client looking to purchase a large quantity of fuel to not use his preferred choice continues to remain on the job.

GEA Head, Dr Mahender Sharma.

Kaieteur News was reliably informed yesterday by sources in the GEA that there was a discussion with the accused senior inspector where his version of the events was related to the GEA’s senior hierarchy.

This publication had recently reported that the senior fuel inspector, in the recording, could be heard telling the potential client not to use the dealer who the client was negotiating with but rather to use another dealer who he would recommend instead. The inspector was heard saying, “what you were doing all the time is purchasing fuel from a company who is not licensed by the GEA. I know you would not be aware of that.”

GEA, which has jurisdiction over the issuance of the different classes of fuel licences used in Guyana such as Import, Transport and Sales, has been recently embroiled in controversy over the issuance of fuel licences to companies not meeting the legal requirements. To this end, the client had sought clarity, since he was doing business with two other companies based on recommendations.

He queried of the inspector, “…just for informational purposes, I got two other individuals that I use in the same capacity that I do business with (name of company withheld), somebody put me on to them, I just have a number that I call.”

In response, the GEA Inspector told the client that the dealer (name withheld) is licensed to sell fuel. Kaieteur News has since been informed that this is not the case, since the person in question only has a licence to transport fuel and not sell. In recommending another company, he insisted that the company that the client initially wanted to do business with was not licensed to sell fuel. The client then confessed, “I don’t know per se who is licensed and who is not,” to which the inspector repeated the names of two companies, which he claimed were licensed to sell fuel by the GEA. As the client sought further information, the inspector responded, “I got a guy who normally deals with fuel in that area so I will call him and I will give you a call.” According to the client, “I would really appreciate that,” at which point, he was reassured by the inspector, “yes, I will do that, you don’t worry.”

Investigations by this publication had revealed that the GEA officer heard on the recording was in fact sacked by the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) for alleged corrupt practices. A senior official familiar with the CANU sacking, outlined that the man’s contract with that agency was, “terminated and that says a lot.” Additionally, it was pointed out that the actions for which the GEA official is now being accused of, “is not surprising at all.”

The GEA in a formal response to the initial publication recently, had said, “Its Officers are not permitted to recommend any particular dealer to the public but rather to provide information as to the legal status of fuel dealers.”

This publication has since formally requested clarification from GEA into the status of any investigations of disciplinary measures taken against the officer in light of the recent reportage but none has so far been received.

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