MoTP calls on Kaieteur News to retract misleading article

Georgetown, Guyana – (September 14, 2018) The Ministry of the Presidency wishes to correct a malicious and misleading article published in the Friday, September 14, 2018 edition of the Kaieteur News, which misrepresents remarks made by President David Granger at his press conference held on August 31, 2018 at the Ministry of the Presidency.

At that event, Kaieteur News reporter, Ms. Abena Rockcliffe-Campbell asked President Granger to reveal what percentage of the Stabroek Block had already been explored.  Yet the content of the article headlined “President Granger’s failure to read ExxonMobil contract tells us our fate- Jagdeo” distorts what the President actually said. At no point, did President Granger say that he had not read Guyana’s contract signed with the oil company.

Ms. Rockcliffe-Campbell asked President Granger: “Stabroek Block where ExxonMobil is working is considered one of the largest in the world. The oil company has already made nine discoveries …Can you say what percentage of the Block (Stabroek Block) has already been explored? Is it 20 percent or is it more?”

In response, President Granger said: “I pointed out earlier that every aspect and I mean that every single aspect of the petroleum industry is being brought under review by the Department of Energy.  I cannot say what percentage of the Stabroek Block has already been allocated, but every aspect of the exploration; legislative, administrative, operational, negotiations, every single aspect is being brought under review.  We are recruiting international experts to give Government advice so I would not like to make any statement that is going to tie the hands of the Department of Energy at this point in time and I would ask for a very thorough briefing [press briefing] maybe by October, where we could sit down and examine all of these questions that have been raised over the last year or so with the Head of the Department of Energy and his team of international experts.”

The President’s remarks speak directly to Dr. Mark Bynoe’s appointment as Head of the Department of Energy, who, along with a team of international experts hired to work in that department, will meet with the media to provide an update on the petroleum sector at a press conference in October.

Moreover, since the August 31, 2018 press conference, President Granger has repeatedly told the media that all matters relating to the petroleum sector will be addressed by Dr. Bynoe at that press conference.

As such, the Ministry of the Presidency believes that the intent of the article is malicious in nature and meant to mislead.  The Ministry of the Presidency therefore calls for a retraction of this article.