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‘Not the venue to discuss full coverage from an oil spill’- ExxonM tells Guyanese at public meeting on 6th project
Kaieteur News – As ExxonMobil Guyana Limited (EMGL) continues to engage the public on its sixth planned development in the Stabroek Block, Guyanese are concerned that the company may pack up and leave these shores should a major oil spill occur in the country’s waters.
This is particularly so as the oil company refuses to provide Guyana with an unlimited parent company guarantee to cover costs above the limited insurance and US$2 billion affiliate guarantee currently in place.
During a stakeholder engagement at the Umana Yana, Kingston, Georgetown on Wednesday, a citizen who gave his name only as Jason enquired from EMGL why it is refusing to provide full protection against an oil spill.
He said the oil company gave assurance in its earlier presentation and speeches that the possibility of a spill is minimal and further urged that it would be well prepared to respond and control an unplanned release of hydrocarbons from its activities in the Stabroek Block.
A concerned citizen who gave his name as ‘Jason’ challenged EMGL on full protection against an oil spill for his country
EMGL Projects Manager, Anthony Jackson in responding to the concerned Guyanese indicated that while he is unable to predict or promise how successful an oil spill response would be, he can commit that the company “will do everything within our power to mitigate an unplanned release.” Jackson noted that this would involve mobilization of a “small army” inclusive of vessels and aircraft.
EMGL Projects Manager, Anthony Jackson
Seemingly not satisfied with the response provided by the Exxon official, Jason went further to point out that as a citizen, he is happy that the company is here to extract the oil but at the same time, his priority is to ensure the safety of his country; especially as models depict that slick from a spill can reach Caribbean islands. In fact, he lamented that with the meager profits Guyana has been receiving from the sector, the country could be easily bankrupted by such an event. Consequently, he said that Guyana ought not to be fighting in Court for such protection.
Jackson in responding to the statement explained that he believes the subject of a parent company guarantee and financial guarantees have been “greatly debated” adding that the company has already put financial guarantees in place. To this end, he said discussing such measures were not for that venue.
“I do believe that the question of parent company guarantee and financial guarantees has been greatly debated and is well known in the public venue and we do have financial guarantees in place some will argue I wanted more, I want a parent company (guarantee) but I will say this is not the venue to go into that level of detail,” he said.
The Projects Manager reasoned that EMGL has committed many times and will continue to reiterate its commitment to mitigate and rectify any adverse effects caused by a spill if it occurs.
As such, he said, “I know that we debate many times in the public about okay well give me a parent company guarantee, I don’t wanna rehash the same narrative because it’s a very complex topic and we had that with a lot of experts so if it is along that line (of question), I would ask that we move on from the topic.”
The citizen asking the question in a brief response said that while he understands Exxon’s position, he believes that the signed full coverage document would be the only the only guarantee Guyana can rely on if EMGL decided to walk away, in the forbidden event of a spill.
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