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Moves afoot to block Exxon from appearing before Parliament Aug 13, 2024 News ExxonMobil Country Manager, Rod Henson and team appeared before the Natural Resources Sectoral Committee in 2018 after the decision was reportedly made for private companies to not be questioned in the House. …Jagdeo claim rules changed to prevent private companies from being summoned, Opposition has no recollection Kaieteur News – Efforts by the Parliamentary Opposition to scrutinise the operations of oil major, ExxonMobil have been met with another barricade, as moves are afoot to prevent the company from appearing before the National Assembly. Following several failed attempts by Members of Parliament (MPs) for government to provide answers and key documents to the House, the Opposition sought the guidance of the Clerk of the National Assembly, Sherlock Isaacs during a meeting of the Natural Resources Sectoral Committee on July 19, 2024. He pointed out at the time that representatives of the company can be arrested and detained until they appear before the Committee, in accordance with the Evidence Act Chapter 1:08. Former Speaker of the National Assembly, Raphael Trotman However, during his weekly press conference, this fact was disputed by Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo, who told reporters that this could no longer be allowed, as a decision was made in Parliament to block private companies from being summoned to appear before the House. Jagdeo who was not an MP at the time the decision was reportedly made said,  “…private companies, a long time ago, the Parliament took a decision to keep the politicians away from the private companies cause people like the AFC would shake them down if they come to Parliament…” The Clerk of the National Assembly in an invited comment told Kaieteur News on Monday morning that the VP was correct, as he was corrected after pointing to the legal framework in the meeting of the Committee. Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo He said the decision was made during the PPP/C’s minority government led by President Donald Ramotar, between 2011 and 2015. Isaacs explained: “There was a decision some time ago, during the minority government period, at that time, a decision was made not to bring in private organisations, companies and so on before the committees.”  “Now when I went before the Committee that slipped me. After speaking with the committee, it was drawn to my attention, (and) the minutes were shown to me,” the Clerk added. When asked if the law was changed to reverse this provision, he said, “I was shown the minutes…I think Odinga Lumumba was the Chairman of that committee when we had a problem with the committee going to visit Bai Shan Lin and other places or to call in Bai Shan Lin before the Committee, a decision was made that we should not.” When asked if there was no other way for Exxon to be summoned to appear before the Committee to answer key questions, he said Isaacs said, “I’m sorry, that’s a question for the politicians, I am just an officer of the National Assembly. I wouldn’t want to go into that discussion.” Up to press time, Kaieteur News was unable to confirm that such an agreement was made in Parliament. Clerk of the National Assembly, Sherlock Isaacs No recollection In an effort to further investigate the issue, this newspaper reached out to Raphael Trotman who was Speaker of the National Assembly during the PPP/C minority government.  Trotman told Kaieteur News, “In the 10th Parliament, I can’t recall any such decision being made. If it was, it would have been in writing.” Trotman said during the tenure of the APNU+AFC Government, which was after the ‘decsion’ was supposed made according to Jagdeo and Isaacs, both the Minister of Natural Resources and Exxon appeared before Parliamentary Committees.” Further, Trotman reasoned that since the Opposition had majority seats in the 10th Parliament, it would never have agreed to suppress its ability to summon companies to provide answers in the interest of the public.  Another Parliamentarian whose representation in the House dates back to 2011, Catherine Hughes said, “I don’t recall that arrangement.”  Furthermore, Hughes pointed out that such a move would “greatly hamper the work of the committee” as it would not be able to engage with the companies and questions their operations. To this end, she pointed out, “It’s a contradiction to the role of the committees that are intended to provide scrutiny and promote transparency on behalf of the wider country.” Exxon hauled before the committee under APNU+AFC  It must be noted however that after this so called “decision” was reportedly made, according to Jagdeo and Isaacs ExxonMobil in 2018 under the APNU+AFC Government was summoned to appear before the Natural Resources Sectoral Committee in the National Assembly, where the then Country Manager, Rod Henson engaged in a heated exchange with PPP MP, Pauline Sukhai. During the tenure of the APNU/AFC in the 11th Parliament, the PPP were allowed to scrutinise the oil company in the House. It was reported that Sukhai during the meeting with Henson said: “There is talk that Exxon is funding a political initiative that is not yet approved by the National Assembly–that is the Green State Development Strategy.” At this point, she offended Henson. He said, “Sorry ma’am but I have to stop you. ExxonMobil…we don’t choose sides, we are apolitical. We are not funding any political party.” But even after then, Sukhai continued. Henson then said, “Allow me to say that is complete hogwash.”But still, Sukhai was not deterred. She insisted that she is “a National MP and the concerns are out there, so it would be remiss of me if I do not seek the level of clarification that is needed at this meeting.” There were instances after Sukhai’s questions that Henson said, “Thanks for your comments, can you repeat the question?” Related Similar Articles

Govt. to pay Bosai $741M more to generate power for Linden Aug 13, 2024 News Prime Minister Brigadier (Ret’d), Mark Phillips …despite $US2oM was approved in 2024 budget  Kaieteur News – The Parliamentary Committee of Supply last week approved the sum of $741 million that will be paid to Chinese bauxite company, Bosai to generate electricity for Linden. Prime Minister Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips told the Committee that the subsidy of $740,970,626 to LINMINE (Community Power) will cover electricity cost for Linden for the rest of the year. Notably, according to the 2024 budget estimates, the sum of $4 billion (US$20M) was allocated to LINMINE. The mining company has an agreement with the Government of Guyana (GoG) to subsidize electricity cost for Lindeners. During one his press conferences earlier this year, Vice President (VP) Bharrat Jagdeo had disclosed the government’s plan to link Linden with the East Bank of Demerara (EBD) to provide electricity and remove dependency on BOSAI to generate power for the mining town. Jagdeo had described the current power purchasing arrangement with the bauxite company as an exorbitant one. He said, “…we’re paying Bosai now, a substantial sum of money every year to supply power to the community, at very exorbitant rates… because we have to buy the power from them.” Related Similar Articles

Businessman nabbed with AK-47, quantity of foreign, local currencies Aug 13, 2024 News Weston Pickering arrested for illegal firearm and ammunition along with large cache of foreign and local currency. Kaieteur News – A 42-year-old businessman, Weston Pickering from Herstelling, East Bank Demerara was arrested on Sunday after police discovered a substantial amount of foreign and local currency, an illegal AK-47 assault rifle, and multiple rounds of ammunition at his residence. In a press release, police said that ranks arrived around 18:25hrs at Pickering’s 2 Somerset Court Housing Scheme, Herstelling to conduct a search. Pickering was home during when the lawmen arrived who told him that they were at his house to search for firearms, ammunition, and drugs. Subsequently, police began a search in house where they discovered a significant amount of currency in a brown suitcase located in a room in the upper flat of the house. The following currencies were found, $11,312 Canadian currency ($1.7 million GYD),  $1,583 United States currency ($330,711 GYD), 10 Chinese Yuan ($291 GYD),  $5,120 Trinidad currency ($157,508 GYD),  $70 Barbados currency ($7,312 GYD) ,  $50 Jamaican currency ($66.52 GYD) 3,405 Pounds Sterling – Great Britain Pound ($907,893 GYD),  120 Euros ($27,388 GYD) and $480,000  GYD. Foreign and local currencies amounted to over a million in GYD Additionally, police discovered an AK-47 rifle with 29 live rounds of ammunition inside the magazine, wrapped in a brown towel and hidden in a washing machine on the lower flat of the property. Further searches revealed an additional 30 live rounds of ammunition concealed in a pair of black and white socks wrapped in a towel, and six live 9mm rounds of ammunition in a bedroom on the upper flat. Pickering was taken into custody, while the firearm, ammunition, and currency were transported to the Providence Police Station for processing and sealing. Investigations are ongoing. Related Similar Articles

Guyana’s oil sector grabs 64% of Caribbean foreign investments in 2023 – ELCAC Aug 13, 2024 News Kaieteur News – The Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) recently released a report highlighting the significant role Guyana’s oil sector has played in boosting Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) across the Caribbean. According to the report, Guyana accounted for a remarkable 64% of FDI inflows in the Caribbean, largely driven by its burgeoning oil industry. The ECLAC report provides a detailed overview of FDI trends in Latin America and the Caribbean, noting that while some of the region’s largest economies, such as Brazil and Mexico, saw substantial declines in FDI inflows—down by 14% and 23% respectively—Guyana experienced a dramatic increase. In 2023, FDI inflows to Guyana surged by 63.8%, reaching an impressive US$7.198 billion. This increase is primarily attributed to the rapid expansion of the country’s oil sector, which has attracted significant foreign investment since Guyana emerged as a new oil producer in the region. Overall, the Caribbean saw a 27.6% increase in FDI in 2023 compared to the previous year. Alongside Guyana, the Dominican Republic also contributed to this growth, with FDI inflows rising by 7.1%. ExxonMobil Guyana Limited (EMGL) and its partners in the Stabroek Block discovered oil offshore Guyana back in 2015 and by December 2019, started producing oil. Exxon is currently producing over 600,000 barrels per day (bpd) from just three projects in the Stabroek Block (Liza Phase 1, Liza Phase 2 and Payara). Currently, the block’s partners plan for the combined production capacity to reach approximately 1.3 million b/d by the end of 2027, with plans to develop three additional projects: Yellowtail, Uaru, and Whiptail. Related Similar Articles

Man killed in hit-and-run accident in Linden   Aug 13, 2024 News Kaieteur News – A hit-and-run accident early Sunday morning in Mackenzie, Linden, has resulted in the death of an unidentified male. The Guyana Police Force (GPF) in a statement said the accident occurred around 04:40hrs on the Washer Pond Public Road, involving motorcar PHH 2656, driven by a 26-year-old man from Cinderella City, Amelia’s Ward, Linden. Police said that the vehicle was traveling south on the eastern side of Washer Pond Road when it struck the pedestrian. The driver fled the scene, leaving the injured pedestrian on the roadway. The pedestrian was later found unconscious and transported to the Linden Hospital Complex where he was pronounced dead on arrival. The body has been moved to the Linden Senior Citizen Association Mortuary pending a post-mortem examination. Following the accident, police ranks, acting on information, arrested the driver at his residence. Investigators observed that the suspected vehicle had visible damage to the right side of the front portion of the car. As a result, the driver was taken to the Mackenzie Police Station where a breathalyser test revealed readings of 0.94% and 0.95% micrograms. He remains in custody as the investigation continues. Related Similar Articles

Large number of unemployment youth a cause for concern – new ILO report Aug 13, 2024 News Kaieteur News – The global labour market outlook for young people has improved in the last four years, and the upward trend is expected to continue for two more, according to a new International Labour Organization (ILO) report. However, the report, titled Global Employment Trends for Youth 2024 (GET for Youth), cautions that the number of 15- to 24-year-olds who are not in employment, education or training (NEET) is concerning, and that the post-COVID 19 pandemic employment recovery has not been universal. Young people in certain regions and many young women are not seeing the benefits of the economic recovery. The 2023 youth unemployment rate, at 13 per cent, equivalent to 64.9 million people, represents a 15-year low and a fall from the pre-pandemic rate of 13.8 per cent in 2019. It is expected to fall further to 12.8 per cent this year and next. The picture, however, is not the same across regions. In the Arab States, East Asia and South-East Asia and the Pacific, youth unemployment rates were higher in 2023 than in 2019. The GET for Youth also cautions that young people face other “headwinds” in finding success in the world of work. It notes that too many young people across the globe are NEET and opportunities to access decent jobs remain limited in emerging and developing economies. One in five young people, or 20.4 per cent, globally were NEET in 2023. Two in three of these NEETs were female. For the youth who do work, the report notes the lack of progress in gaining decent jobs. Globally, more than half of young workers are in informal employment. Only in high- and upper-middle-income economies are the majority of young workers today in a regular, secure job. And three in four young workers in low-income countries will get only a self-employed or temporary paid job. The report cautions that the continuing high NEET rates and insufficient growth of decent jobs are causing growing anxiety among today’s youth, who are also the most educated youth cohort ever. “None of us can look forward to a stable future when millions of young people around the world do not have decent work and as a result, are feeling insecure and unable to build a better life for themselves and their families. Peaceful societies rely on three core ingredients: stability, inclusion, and social justice; and decent work for the youth is at the heart of all three,” explained Gilbert F. Houngbo, ILO Director-General. Moreover, the report finds that young men have benefited more from the labour market recovery than young women. The youth unemployment rates of young women and young men in 2023 were nearly equal (at 12.9 per cent for young women and 13 per cent for young men), unlike the pre-pandemic years when the rate for young men was higher. And the global youth NEET rate of young women doubled that of young men (at 28.1 per cent and 13.1 per cent, respectively) in 2023. “The report reminds us that opportunities for young people are highly unequal; with many young women, young people with limited financial means or from any minority background still struggling. Without equal opportunities to education and decent jobs, millions of young people are missing out on their chances for a better future,” added Houngbo. The ILO report calls for greater attention on strengthening the foundations of decent work as a pathway to countering young people’s anxieties about the world of work and reinforcing their hope for a brighter future. In a message to young readers, the report’s authors ask them to add their voices to calls for change. “You have the possibility to influence policy and to advocate for decent work for all. Know your rights and continue investing in your skills,” the message says. “Be a part of the change that we all need to ensure a socially just and inclusive world.” This 12th edition of the GET for Youth marks the report’s 20-year anniversary. It looks back at what has been achieved in this century to improve young people’s working prospects and considers the future for youth employment “in an era characterized by crises and uncertainties”. Looking at longer-term trends, the report concludes that: Growth in “modern” services and in manufacturing jobs for youth has been limited, although modernization can be brought to traditional sectors through digitalization and AI. There are not enough high-skill jobs for the supply of educated youth, especially in middle-income countries. Keeping skills development on pace with evolving demands for green and digital skills will be critical to reducing education mismatches. The growing number of conflicts threatens young people’s future livelihoods and can push them into migration or towards extremism. Demographic trends, notably the African ‘youthquake’ means creating enough decent jobs, will be critical for social justice and the global economy. The report calls for increased and more effective investment, including in boosting job creation with a specific target on jobs for young women, strengthening the institutions that support young people through their labour market transitions including young NEETs, integrating employment and social protection for youth, and tackling global inequalities through improved international cooperation, public-private partnerships and financing for development. Related Similar Articles