All 10 acres of land to be used for ExxonMobil’s HQ

Jan 23, 2018 News, https://www.kaieteurnewsonline...-for-exxonmobils-hq/

Ogle Airport Inc (OAI) yesterday denied that its Public Relations consultant, Kit Nascimento, told this newspaper that negations with ExxonMobil are young and he is therefore not permitted to disclose ExxonMobil’s intended use of 10 acres of land at the airport.

OAI released a press statement that read, “Our Public Communications Consultant, Kit Nascimento, confirmed to the newspaper, prior to the publication of this story that Ogle Airport is in discussion with ESSO (Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited) for the lease of land for the purpose of building its head office, and nothing else.”

At no point when he was contacted on Saturday did Nascimento state the intended purpose of the land, OAI contended.

However, according to OAI, ExxonMobil will need all that land, 10 acres as outlined in its land use plan, for the sole purpose of erecting its headquarters. “That must be a massive building,” one obsever noted.

However, ExxonMobil officials are on record saying that there is a need to manage expectations as only a small number of employees will be hired for onshore activities. The projected number was stated as 90.

OAI stated, however, that “there is no truth to the newspaper’s speculation and headline with respect to any other ESSO facility to be built at the Airport.”

OAI also stated, “The newspaper’s report that an application from a small aircraft operator to lease land for the purpose of building a hangar at the Airport has not been acknowledged by the Airport, is entirely false.

“In fact, the Airport has long provided a light aircraft parking apron, at the cost of the Airport, and has provided terminal offices at concessionary rates for two of the light aircraft operators.”

However, operators are on record stating that they have not received responses from OAI.

“Also, there are a number of applications, including ESSO, for the purpose of leasing land at the Airport under the provisions of the Lease Agreement between OAI and Government which are pending subject to the review of the processing of the leasing of state lands by the Guyana Lands & Surveys Commission.

“Ogle Airport also wishes to point out that all of the major aircraft operators at the Eugene F. Correia Airport have already leased land and have built substantial facilities for their operations at the Airport,” the statement said.

This newspaper has been able to source a copy of a “land use plan” prepared by Chairman of the OAI’s Land Committee, Marcel Gaskin. The plan has a clearly demarcated area for ExxonMobil and even specifies the proposed 10 acres.

Kaieteur News has been made aware that the OAI is ready to sublease the land to ExxonMobil. The only stall is the approval that had to come from Lands and Surveys. It is apparent that officials at Lands and Surveys want to cover all grounds before approving lease of the land.

It would be illegal for OAI to sublease without the requisite approval from Lands and Surveys. A well informed source said, “Just now, pressure will be brought on Lands and Surveys to process the approval with haste.”

ExxonMobil has been given a prompt and favourable response from OAI but there are local aircraft operators who are not even given respect by the OAI, more over lands.

Ogle International Airport, recently renamed Eugene F. Correia International Airport, is part- owned by the Government of Guyana.

It is a joint venture between Ogle International Airport and the government with which it shares a lease issued by the Lands and Survey Department for 441 acres.

The land lease to OAI is bound by specific conditions agreed to between the government and OAI.

The lease secured by OAI International Airport Company specifies that it must first cater to the needs of those in the aviation sector. Yet, locals in the aviation industry are being bypassed are “Our small applications have been ignored but the great ExxonMobil has been able to secure over 10 acres.”

The Lease Agreement provides for the Airport to be “developed and operated as a public aviation facility in accordance with the Civil Aviation Laws of Guyana and compliant with all other applicable laws, statute, regulations and international agreements that pertain to the operations of an international airport, including those promulgated by the International Civil Aviation Organisation, the International Air Transport Association and other international bodies having jurisdiction.”.

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