WHO AUTHORISED TROTMAN TO SIGN OIL CONTRACT?

Jun 19, 2022 Letters

Dear Editor,

Raphael Trotman was the Coalition minister responsible for negotiating the Exxon contract for Guyana when he was in Texas. Who authorised him to sign the contract? All the hullabaloo that is going on stems from the bad deal that Guyana got. Trotman defends himself by saying that despite being wined and dined by limousine and other luxuries at the Texas headquarters that he was authorised to sign the contract. In all fairness to Trotman, he really cannot be blamed. He did not act on his own. He did sign by consulting with his Georgetown superiors.
The question now becomes important as to who authorised Trotman from the coalition to sign the contract. Investigative journalists have not delved into this matter and it is high time Glenn Lall publisher of Kaieteur News seek answers to this burning question.
The three most likely people Trotman may have consulted are Former Finance Minister Winston Jordan as he has responsibility for finance. But the contract was a legal document and Jordan would not have the necessary expertise to pronounce on a legal document. The other person who had the power to authorise Trotman to sign was former President David Granger. He had clout but not legal expertise to pronounce on the contract. That leaves Attorney General Basil Williams as the most likely to have authorised Trotman as Williams’ office had the necessary expertise to judge the contract. Was it Williams who authorised Trotman to sign the bad deal contract?
The Cabinet does operate on the principle of collective responsibility. Williams may have an out if he discussed it with the Cabinet. In which case the APNU- AFC coalition does get the blame for such a bad deal. The whole fiasco shows the PNC cannot manage money.

Sincerely,
Sultan Mohamed

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