Our angelic lawyers and appellate judges are debating in medieval terms whether ‘assurance’ or ‘insurance’ or ‘full liability coverage’ or ‘complete indemnity’ can all sit on the head of a pin. Meanwhile, let us consider why we need such security instruments. Since the PEMEX oil spill at the Ixtoc-I well in the Gulf of Campeche…
Dear Editor, ExxonMobil will have its annual shareholder meeting on Wednesday May 31st, 2023. During this meeting, shareholders will vote on a number of resolutions raised. These resolutions were outlined in its 2023 Proxy statement, a copy can be found here: https://investor.exxonmobil.com/company-information/annual-reports-proxy. Shareholder resolution #10 is concerned with Guyana and seeks additional reporting on worst-case spill…
Dear Editor, In a shareholder document released on April 13th, 2023 ExxonMobil makes this claim, “ExxonMobil’s affiliate [EEPGL] works cooperatively with the Guyana Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to ensure environmental permitting relating to exploration, development, and production activity fully complies with Guyana law.” It states, “…activist litigation to halt oil and gas production has failed…
Dear Editor, In recent letters to the press, Robin Singh, a person who is yet to apologise for publicly labelling me and some members of civil society treasonous, is peddling more illogic. He seems to have now awakened to the concept of ‘unlimited’, as in parent company guarantee (PCG). It was already there to be…
Dear Editor,Your editorial of 24 May (Mahdia tragedy, https://www.stabroeknews.com/2023/05/24/opinion/editorial/mahdia-tragedy/) on the horrific deaths of 19 children in a dormitory fire on Sunday night (and other children who are seriously burnt, all the children scarred for life) reminded us of the government’s serial failures to learn from the earlier deaths of three schoolgirls in Waramadong Secondary School…
Dear Editor,We reflect on the risks involved as ExxonMobil drills through ~2,000 metres of water (>1 mile) and ~3,700 metres (> 2 miles) of rock to get to the petroleum and associated gas located under the weight of such pressure in Guyana’s offshore territory. We note that the increase in daily production to 155,000 barrels per…
By Alissa Trotz, (Referenced Insurance Doc inside here: https://www.oggn.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/EPA-Supplemental-Affidavit-23-Jan-2023.pdf) On Monday May 29th, Esso and the EPA get another chance to argue for a stay of Justice Kissoon’s ruling that Esso was in breach of the permit requirements for insurance. Exxon’s own modelling shows that an oil spill will not be confined to Guyana, but…
Vice President Jagdeo has for sure secured his spot in the annals of iconic harbingers of falsehoods; but his reaction to Honourable Judge Kissoon’s well-thought-out decision, takes the cake, when he distorts the decision and attempts to intimidate and create a chilling effect on the judiciary. The VP perversely attacks the decision with his vengeful…
If I were in the GoG, I’d insist Exxon sign the PCG letter agreeing to Full Liability Coverage. Sign the letter – and go on with your Oil Drilling. Observe Safety Rules. End of story. All oil drilling is done on a Wing and a Prayer. Hope an accident never happens – but if it…
Last week, reporting on the ruling of Justice Sandil Kissoon, who heard the case brought against EEPGL and the EPA by Frederick Collins and Godfrey Whyte, Stabroek News said, “ExxonMobil’s local affiliate, EEPGL, has agreed in the permit to provide insurance and an unlimited parent company indemnity to cover all environmental loss and damage that…
