Latest update November 21st, 2024 1:00 AM
Response to ExxonMobil’s questionable expenses will go to technical agencies not Government – VP Jagdeo
Vice President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo
Kaieteur News – The response from US oil giant and Stabroek Block operator ExxonMobil, in relation to the questionable expenses revealed in the audits will not go to the government. Instead, the technical agencies will receive it, Vice President (VP) Bharrat Jagdeo told reporters on Thursday at his weekly press conference at Freedom House.
Kaieteur News asked the Vice President, “You had mentioned that the government had written Exxon about the questionable expenses and so forth… any update on this since?”
Jagdeo responded, “No, the response will not come to us. It will go to umm the technical agencies; it wouldn’t come to me directly.”
This publication previously reported that Vice President Jagdeo is unwilling to provide an explanation to the nation about the massive expenses racked up by ExxonMobil. In fact, the VP had even encouraged this newspaper to seek clarity from the oil company.
Notwithstanding, Kaieteur News also asked the politician, who is charged with oversight of the petroleum sector, to provide an explanation on the $133B depreciation and amortization costs that were charged to Guyana’s oil revenue by Exxon.
The Vice President in his response said that while the Ministry of Natural Resources is privy to what is being depreciated and amortized by Exxon, he will not share any details in that regard.
Instead, he directed Kaieteur News to write their questions to Exxon. “Yes, the Ministry would know what is depreciated and stuff like that but I’m not gonna go through any financials here because I think Kaieteur has even a more rudimentary understanding of the financials than I do and two, that it can’t be done at a press conference. If you want to have that, why don’t you submit in writing to Exxon, ask them, we have noted this – the following things,” Jagdeo said.
He went on to note that even if he did provide the information that it would be misconstrued.
“You know why I’m not too, even if I gave you the correct answer, you’re gonna change it. You’re gonna change it in any case. When it goes to Glenn Lall, he will put a different headline, he will say Jagdeo defending Exxon etcetera,” the Vice President explained.
Jagdeo had previously turned away questions posed to him on the oil sector, instructing that they instead be raised with Exxon.
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