Jagdeo was involved in every aspect of Exxon deal – Glenn Lall

Jan 12, 2025 News

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-yet blames PNC for ‘solely’ signing a bad contract

Kaieteur News– Businessman and publisher of the Kaieteur News Glenn Lall, on Friday, said he believes that Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo was involved in every aspect of the oil deal signed with ExxonMobil in 2016.

Lall, via his weekly radio programme, ‘The Glenn Lall Show’ said that though the Vice President continues to blame the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) for solely signing the deal while in government under the coalition umbrella, A Partnership for National Unity and the Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC), there was a unanimous parliamentary decision.

“This isn’t speculation, uncle—this is facts. Jagdeo was involved in every aspect of that deal. Not just the taxes, but everything else the PNC signed off on.  And yet, he stood in Parliament, with a bold, dry, and brazen face, wagging his finger and accusing them of betraying the nation,” Lall stated.

On Thursday, at Jagdeo’s last press conference, a Kaieteur News reporter asked, “Why did you and your party join with the PNC in Parliament and unanimously approve the tax waiver for ExxonMobil?”

Former Minister of Natural Resources, under the APNU+AFC government, Raphael Trotman in his book, From Destiny to Prosperity stated, “Interestingly, I had been previously informed that the Leader of the Opposition had been “briefed” and would offer no objection, and further, that I should not elaborate too much on the specifics of the June 27 agreement (Exxon deal); except to note that it had been signed and to list some of the provisions. This advice I followed.”

In response, Jagdeo said, “Briefed by whom? Exxon? By the PNC? He didn’t say who. This is Trotman saying somebody told him, a vagrant walked off the street and said to Trotman, ‘You know, Jagdeo has been briefed, you don’t need to give the Guyanese people this agreement.’”

Further, the Vice President said, “You think if I had a deal with APNU, all these years, they wouldn’t have mentioned it; they would’ve shouted from the top of their voices, taken out ads.”

Lall in response to Jagdeo’s response, said the Vice President was attempting to stray from the question posed.

“But let me say this, it’s crystal clear from what Raphael Trotman said—Jagdeo secretly met and agreed to hand ExxonMobil those tax waivers – what you think?  I believe he did that.”

Jagdeo had referenced concerns raised by Chairman of the Parliamentary Sectoral Committee on Natural Resources, Odinga Lumumba, at that time about a Motion being tabled and passed to give effect to an agreement the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) had never seen.

Jagdeo said that the Motion rather than a copy of the Petroleum Agreement, a one-page Order, was tabled in the House on August 2016 for affirmative action, which means the majority of Parliament can approve its passage.

Jagdeo explained that the Order was included on a Supplementary Order Paper for the day. In fact, he argued that Members of Parliament (MPs) only saw the document at 7:47pm that evening.

The debate subsequently commenced at 11:47 pm. To this end, Jagdeo said two MPs from the PPP side spoke on the Motion, including Lumumba, and Gail Teixeira.

According to Jagdeo, who quoted from the Hansard, Lumumba said: “…I was not informed about this Motion here tonight. We cannot carry on like this in this country…big oil is important, but big oil has already shaken up the roots of many countries whether it be Nigeria, whether it be Ghana, whether it be Venezuela.”

He continued, “We have to be careful, therefore we have to work together. Informing us early about this Motion cannot and will not allow us to say no. How can we? First of all, you have a one-seat majority, secondly, we have been supportive of oil exploration and development for a number of years…what is the problem? Why is there this secrecy? It makes us feel funny.”

But Jagdeo’s explanation found no favour with Lall who said the no-objection by the PPP, at the time, is what facilitated Exxon having the tax-free paradise they currently operate in. But despite, this the vice president seems to want to “rewrite what he and his party did.”

“This is what we’re dealing with, people. When it suits their purpose—or maybe their pockets—they bend backwards, forwards, and sideways to sell out this country and make great things happen for ExxonMobil,” Lall told his radio listeners, while adding that the country’s political parties are allowing the oil giant to sell the country’s resources.

(Jagdeo was involved in every aspect of Exxon deal – Glenn Lall)

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• deal, Exxon, Glenn Lall, Jagdeo, opposition

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