I never represented Exxon

Feb 03, 2023 Letters

Dear Editor,

I have been told that somebody on Facebook or a chat show, said I represented Exxon in the 1999 petroleum agreement. I did not. Apparently, this is based on the notice provision which says Esso’s address for notices is 80 Cowan St, Kingston. Then it says “Attention: Melinda Janki.” That address was the office of DeCaires Fitzpatrick and Karran. They were Esso’s lawyers at that time. I was one of the firm’s consultant lawyers. Miles Fitzpatrick, put my name because (he said) nobody else knew anything about oil. Miles (one of Guyana’s finest citizens) is dead. He cannot comment. If people want to know who represented Exxon in 1999, they should contact Exxon’s lawyers in the head office and ask them. I would guess that, like me, Exxon head office does not watch chat shows or read Facebook.

Esso also did a power of attorney in 1999 which authorised me to receive lawful notices, accept service of process etc. The standard formula. Esso was supposed to revoke the power of attorney but did not. In 2007 I found out it was still in existence; I asked them to revoke it. It was finally revoked in 2017 after I asked again.

I had no idea that being a post box in 1999 would generate excitement in 2023. I would have thought that my involvement with the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline (oil) and the South Caucasus Pipeline (gas) would have been more interesting. The shareholders include BP, Exxon, Total, Equinor, Eni. I enjoyed Azerbaijan and Turkey. I was less keen on Georgia. Some American military were in the hotel and if you did not get to the breakfast buffet before them, it was gone.

Lest it generate more speculation, I also worked in BP’s head office as a lawyer. In those days working in the oil industry was highly regarded. The top lawyers got the best work. But in the last few years, things have changed significantly. Working for the fossil fuel sector is not highly regarded. Young people hate oil companies. They think it is a betrayal to work for them. Law students from top schools like Harvard even picket law firms who represent ExxonMobil. Students everywhere want their universities to divest from fossil fuels. Even school children are taking to the streets.

Why the about turn? Because everybody knows that greenhouse gas pollution from fossil fuels is causing ocean acidification as well as the global overheating that is leading to climate system breakdown. Rising sea-levels will cover Georgetown. Rising temperatures will be hot enough to kill people in Guyana and cause crops to fail. It’s already happening in other countries. Guyana’s current oil and gas ambitions are a spectacular example of folly.

As we all know, ExxonMobil knew in the 1970s about the harm from greenhouse gas pollution but lied about it for decades. Lies, speculation, rumour –the tools of big oil. This is the price we pay for freedom of expression. It’s only a problem if people are foolish enough to believe what big oil and its stooges say.

Yours Sincerely,

Melinda Janki

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aku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline, DeCaires Fitzpatrick, Exxon, Melinda Janki, South Caucasus Pipeline

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