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Exxon tightens noose on public consultations for 8th oil project
…new format restricts collective discussions
…questions limited to select panel
…participants forced to move from table to table for answers
(Kaieteur News) – ExxonMobil Guyana Limited (EMGL) the operator of the Stabroek Block has implemented a new strategy for its “public consultations” that restricts an in-depth disclosure on proposed projects.
On Tuesday afternoon, the company along with its Consultant, Acorn International of Houston, Texas and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) met with citizens at the Umana in Georgetown to discuss the findings from the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for the eight proposed project- Longtail.
This study is done after consulting the public to hear their concerns and questions and is a legal requirement for oil projects, given the potential to affect multiple receptors such as air quality, marine life and water quality and even land.
Participants pay keen attention to a presentation during the recent Longtail meeting at Umana Yana.
Usually, the meetings allow the public, in a transparent way, to raise questions or concerns with the use of a microphone for the benefit of the attending audience. This ensures that everyone in attendance not only hears the questions and answers provided by the specialists, but can also seek follow-ups or clarity where necessary – offered deeper scrutiny on issues of interest.
This recent meeting took a different approach, removing this transparent method and replacing it with three desks where questions could be quietly raised and addressed. No microphones were used, meaning the team could have been faced with the same questions multiple times and provide answers that may only scratch the surface.
Participants were directed to three desks – environmental, emergency, and socio-economic for their queries or concerns to be addressed, following a brief presentation by Acorn. Public feedback is crucial to the already conducted EIA as this would prompt a revision of the draft document, upon expiration of the ongoing ‘60-day public comments period’.
Two of the information desks that were set up for citizens to pose questions or concerns.
Kaieteur News spoke with a few persons that attended the “public consultation” all of whom expressed frustration with the new system. “They just sent me to this desk because they said it’s not a question for them, now he is sending me to another desk,” said an energetic young lady who attended with two of her friends. Her question was perhaps a troublesome one that sought answers to who would compensate fishermen for losses as a result of any impact from the oil and gas activities.
Another young lady that attended from the University of Guyana (UG) said she felt the meeting was a “brainwashing ceremony”. She said, “I was listening to them speak before you started asking questions about the discharges into the ocean and it’s so clear that they cannot answer your questions because the EPA guy could not say what measures are in place. I think they are trying to sell us a dream about all the good things the project can do for us but it’s really like putting cat to watch milk because there aren’t any systems to verify what they are telling us.”
Concerns were also raised at the “environment desk” about how changes in temperature can affect marine life, but were not answered. Marine water temperature can change due to the offshore discharges by Exxon during its project related activities.
While interacting with other participants, they also vented frustration over the language barrier by one of the officials, who seemed to have a French accent, making it extremely difficult to understand the responses provided. Persons also complained of being unable to hear the responses to their queries as other discussions were ongoing simultaneously around the room. The new conduct of the meetings, according to Exxon officials, is intended to allow more persons the opportunity to raise questions and concerns.
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