Trotman has taken legal gymnastics to new levels

Jan 06, 2018 News, https://www.kaieteurnewsonline...stics-to-new-levels/

…breached Petroleum Exploration and Production Act – Ram

Further examination of the petroleum agreement between Government and ExxonMobil continues to reveal a number of worrying discoveries. The latest in this regard was made by Chartered Accountant and Attorney-at-Law Christopher Ram.

After reviewing the contract, the auditor firmly believes that the Natural Resources Minister, Raphael Trotman has displayed complete disregard for Guyana’s laws. And that is not all. Ram asserts that the Minister takes “legal gymnastics” to new levels.

In this regard, Ram outlines that the Petroleum contract makes mention of a “Bridging Deed.” The purpose of this agreement is to replace the 1999 Agreement and the 1999 Petroleum Prospecting Licence.

In his recent writings, the lawyer noted, “Readers will recall that then President Janet Jagan signed the 1999 Agreement in violation of the Petroleum Exploration and Production Act (the Act) to the extent that the company (Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited) was granted approximately six hundred blocks instead of the sixty blocks permitted by law.”

Ram continued, “The 1999 Agreement and Prospecting Licence appears to have been contained in a single package and included a full description of the blocks and a map of the area allotted to the oil company. The 2016 Agreement merely states that on that date, Minister Trotman granted a Petroleum Prospecting Licence for an initial period of four years.”

He added, “In other words, the whole idea of Mr. Trotman was to pretend that the 1999 Agreement never existed. Trotman has to be given credit – this takes legal gymnastics to a completely new level.

Trotman obviously decided to complete the concealment of the 2016 Agreement by failing to comply with section 16 (2) of the Act.”

Section 16(2) of the Petroleum Exploration and Production Act states: “The Minister, shall, as soon as may be practicable after a licence has been granted, cause notice of that fact to be published in the Gazette stating the name of the licensee and the situation of the land in respect of which the licence has been granted.”

Ram told Kaieteur News that Trotman failed to observe this aspect of the law, while commenting that it is a worrying precedent.

“Did Trotman decide that he could bypass the provisions of the legislation and do as he chose? Clearly he does not consider himself bound by any laws and free to violate them as he chooses.”

Ram also emphasized that a prospecting licence can only be granted on the basis of an application made in accordance with the Act. He said that the application must contain a whole range of information as prescribed by the Act and Regulations, including proposals for local content in terms of employment and the procurement of goods and services.

Trotman trotting merrily along, unconcerned about the laws.

The DUMB FOOL needs to learn his ABC!!!!!!!!