Trevor Bassoo
April 22 ,2021
As the company accusing the Guyana Oil Company (Guyoil) of contract breaches threatened court action over alleged verbal promises of a contract to supply fuel, now-resigned General Manager Trevor Bassoo yesterday broke his silence stating that it was he who alerted the Board of possible procurement irregularities.
“We therefore seek to find an amicable settlement in relation to this matter,” a letter from the attorney representing Aaron Royality Inc (ARI), Dexter Todd, to Guyoil’s Board Chairman Paul Cheong stated, requesting that the company honour the commitments allegedly made.
In the letter from ARI’s attorney, it names not Bassoo, but a senior finance official and another connected to the company as two persons it had allegedly reached a verbal agreement with.
“My client has informed me that pursuant to a verbal agreement between [names and designations stated] both representing themselves to be employees of GUYOIL entered into… a verbal arrangement concerning a soft corporate offer for Heavy Fuel oil to be shipped to Guyana on or before the 17th day of April, 2021,” the letter states.
It said that the Bassoo was alerted via email when the shipment arrived, that it needed to be uplifted and payments needed to be made. However, Todd said that Guyoil failed to honour its commitments.
A fuel dealer from ARI claims that he is now left with a large quantity of fuel on hand after commitments were made by some company officials that Guyoil would buy it. The dealer claims that he has evidence of the commitments by officials of the company who also tried to solicit kickbacks in return for the company’s purchase.
The allegations prompted Senior Minister with responsibility for Finance Dr Ashni Singh to request the Auditor General to investigate while sounding a warning that corruption will not be tolerated.
Guyoil also denied the allegations saying that while ARI was one of several companies it had been in discussions with, it had not contracted the company to supply fuel. “There is absolutely no truth to this allegation,” the company declared in a statement following the meeting between the Board and Singh on Tuesday. “Guyoil wishes to categorically state that whilst ARI was one of a number of companies which Guyoil had discussions [with] on the possible supply of fuel, Guyoil has not at any time entered into a contract with ARI.”
Bassoo tendered his resignation on Monday.
After stating that he wanted to speak to his attorney before engaging the press, Bassoo yesterday broke his silence and told this newspaper that it was not he that had entered into any agreement with ARI, and he was only made aware of the matter when ARI complained of non-payment.
He said that it was he who alerted the Board of Guyoil regarding the issue and that his resignation had nothing to do with the matter.
“I was made aware of it but I am not one of the two persons named. I alerted the Board and said that let it be dealt with at that level. This concern was raised to me and I took it to the Board,” he stressed.
Asked why he resigned, he said that it was a personal decision as he felt that the work environment at the company was not conducive to his peace of mind or development. “It had nothing to do with this matter. It had to do with me being no longer comfortable in the working environment there,” he offered.
He said that he has welcomed the investigation announced by the Minister with responsibility for Finance and is confident that it will vindicate him as he had a stellar record for the short time he was at the company.
What he is most concerned about, he added, was the seeming attack on his character and how the issue was reported on social media. “I have read lots of propaganda on social media and the calumny too. That is what concerns me; this attack on my character,” he said.
However, he pointed out that he was not worried as the public will know the truth when the investigations are over. “Regardless of what happens, people will form their opinions but I know that the truth will come out and that makes me happy,” he said.
With Bassoo’s resignation accepted, the Guyoil Board has stated that a sub-committee of the Board of Directors has been appointed to oversee the day-to-day operations of the company.
Guyoil has noted that in the interest of transparency and public disclosure, it has made public the procedures in place and in practice which are followed by the company in the procurement of fuel from any entity. They include but are not limited to: competitive procurement, due diligence of the supplying company, purchase order/contract, nominated quantity sent to supplier with expected date of delivery, quality and quantity surveyor appointed to overlook the loading of the cargo, and certificate of quality/conformity with technical specification produce.
The supplier also needs to send the proforma invoice necessary for the Guyana Revenue Authority to give permission to offload the vessel; the certificate of origin/signed declaration that the product was not sourced from an embargoed country; the details of the vessel to be used, the Q88 document, and a detailed report on the loading of the vessel by an independent inspector.
The Board of Directors of Guyoil also stated that they wished to assure the public that at all times the company will act in compliance with the laws of Guyana and best practices as it relates to conducting its business.