Greenidge jumps to ExxonMobil’s defence
Dec 05, 2017 , https://www.kaieteurnewsonline...exxonmobils-defence/
– says “jokers” are against the company
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Carl Greenidge is peeved at those who have been advocating that Guyana tread lightly with ExxonMobil based on the company’s proven modus operandi around the world.
The Minister was quoted by government’s Information Hub as stating that the “prolonged cuss out of oil company ExxonMobil is unwarranted.” Greenidge made this and similar statements during an outreach to Region Six on Sunday.
The Minister noted that it is the government’s responsibility to ensure monies collected from companies, including oil companies, is spent to develop its people.
“It is our job to ensure that our Inland Revenue Department is competently manned so as to analyse their books and impose the taxes they are supposed to pay. You can’t start up by beating up the company when in fact the company hasn’t been due to pay taxes and (has not) refused to pay taxes,” Minister Greenidge said.
This newspaper has carried a series of articles that highlighted ExxonMobil’s unflattering track record around the world. ExxonMobil’s refusal to pay tax and royalties, its reported acts of bribery and corruption as well as its destruction of the environment in countries such as Chad, Papa New Guinea, Equatorial Guinea and Nigeria were highlighted in those articles.
Minister Greenidge said “what that should do is to put you on caution, on alert, not to cause you to cuss them up,” Minister Greenidge said.
He cautioned citizens to not “believe these jokers that will have you cuss out a company that has found oil and develops that oil”.
