Public meetings hosted during cricket season is to speed up 6th project – ExxonMobil’s Projects Manager

Sep 13, 2023 ExxonMobil, News, Oil & Gas

Kaieteur News – ExxonMobil Guyana Limited (EMGL) on Tuesday kicked off a series of public consultations on its sixth -planned deepwater project in the Stabroek Block, Whiptail, by responding to criticisms that the company deliberately scheduled the consultations during the Cricket Carnival season to prevent maximum participation.

Projects Manager, Anthony Jackson was addressing a gathering predominantly made up of students of the Leonora Technical Institute, West Coast Demerara when he sought to lay concerns to rest regarding the public meetings.

He explained that having filed the application for the project at a specific date with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the company was required to complete the consultations by a particular date to conclude the process as early as possible.

Jackson explained, “We work the timing of the disclosure sessions collaboratively with the Government of Guyana via the EPA. The schedule that was proposed was based on having the public consultations around the 30 day mark of the 60 day review period. This reflects the intention of not engaging too early such that the public can’t sufficiently review the document, nor too late such that the EPA is unable to consider the public comments.”

The 60 days comment period he was referring to, is required by the Environmental Protection Act. It allows the public to review the technical plans of the company and share their specific concerns or comments. These will be considered in the final decision regarding the award of a Permit for the project.

ExxonMobil Guyana Limited Projects Manager, Anthony Jackson during the company’s consultation at Leonora.

ExxonMobil Guyana Limited Project Manager, Anthony Jackson during the company’s consultation at Leonora.

The Exxon official in a subsequent comment said the company recognized that the meetings would clash with the home-leg of events scheduled for the highly anticipated Caribbean Premiere League (CPL). He said efforts were made to arrange the dates for the meetings to avoid direct conflicts; however, this has proven to be a challenge.

To this end, he noted, “I recognize that some could have the impression that this was intentional to minimize attendance, and I can only reiterate that this was not at all a motive of the timing. EMGL wishes to hear directly from the public on their concerns. We will constantly try to learn and take feedback with regards to these events, and timing and location of venues is one of those areas where we will likely continue to test for future enhancement.”

Several members of civil society had expressed concern over the decision by Exxon to host its public meetings on the same days as cricket games are planned to be held at the National Stadium at Providence.

The participants at Exxon’s first public meeting on the sixth project.

Former Head of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Dr. Vincent Adams for instance, argued that it is normal practice for any reputable agency to host a proper consultation; they must engage their stakeholders during a time when they would see maximum participation.

He said, “To host a consultation exercise on the day when cricket in Guyana is being played is a deliberate move not to get most people to show up. It shows there is no genuine effort for transparency and reluctance by the oil company to truly engage stakeholders.”

His sentiments were echoed by President of the Transparency Institute Guyana Inc. (TIGI), Frederick Collins and activist, Dr. Jerry Jailall.

Exxon’s public meetings will continue today at the Umana Yana in Kingston, Georgetown at 17:00hrs. The consultations across the country on the sixth project will run until September 22, 2023.