Latest update November 21st, 2024 1:00 AM
‘Crying shame citizens have to rely on leaked audit reports to know findings of Exxon’s expenses’ – Opposition MP
Opposition Parliamentarian, Shurwayne Holder
Kaieteur News – Opposition Member of Parliament (MP), Shurwayne Holder recently criticized the Guyana Government for its poor handling of two audit reports on ExxonMobil’s expenses in the Stabroek Block.
During his contribution to the 2024 budget debate last week, Holder said it is a crying shame that the government has not made the reports public; that the citizenry must hope and pray that media houses secure leaked copies and share the contents with the nation. Holder also found it concerning that the nation remains in the dark about the direction the government will take in recouping disputed sums outlined in those reports.
Holder said, “We see a pernicious attitude that is reflected in Guyana’s cost oil audits, where we in the opposition had to fight along with civil society and the media to get the government even to agree to audit (Exxon’s bills). We have to fight to get the government to also release the audit (reports).”
The parliamentarian added, “And when the first audit (report) finally came into the public domain it had to come on the back of a leak to the press. We say to the government shame. We say to the government that that attitude is unpatriotic.”
It would be recalled that the first audit report was prepared by IHS Markit. It found US$214M in disputed costs after examining Exxon’s billions totalling US$1.6B expended from 1999 to 2016. Holder said it is saddening that throughout the debate, no government member thought it prudent to provide the nation with a status report on this matter. He lambasted the administration for failing to say if government is moving to arbitration and when.
“If the government wants to show the Guyanese people that it is committed to safeguarding their rights it must assemble an appropriate team, fund them and treat this issue with the same urgency that it spends those same hundreds of millions of US dollars. Even further, it is nonsensical to borrow millions of US dollars when you have moneys available for you to retrieve. The government must take this seriously and we will stand with every patriotic Guyanese to hold their feet to the fire until they fulfill their duty,” said Holder.
The MP also raised concerns about the fact that the second audit report is yet to be released for the public’s review. This audit which looked at US$7.3B in expenditure from 2018 o 2020 was conducted by local consortium of Ramdihal & Haynes Inc., Eclisar Financial, and Vitality Accounting & Consultancy Inc., with the backing of global firms SGS and Martindale Consultants.
Similar Articles
THE BLUNT OF THE DAY
Sports
Features/Columnists
Bureaucracy gone bananas!
…Peeping Tom kaieteur News- Every morning, the government wakes up, stretches its arms, and spends one billion dollars... more
Rising Gun Crimes in the Caribbean: Urgent Action required by all
By Sir Ronald Sanders Kaieteur News – There is an alarming surge in gun-related violence, particularly among younger... more
Weekend Cartoon
