Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall S.C believes due credit must be given to the PPP/C Administration for taking prompt action to have all four Stabroek Block projects armed with “industry leading” insurance coverage since its predecessor had nothing in place.
During an interview with Guyana Standard today, Nandlall said he believes the foregoing point is critical since the political opposition seems to be on a mission to fool citizens that it cares about oil sector management.
Nandlall said, “The matter is one that was raised in the National Assembly when (Opposition Shadow Minister for Petroleum, David) Patterson brought a motion for full liability coverage. I was not one of the speakers on the motion but I believe my colleagues raised a pertinent point which ought to grip the masses.”
The Attorney General said it was exposed by several government officials that the APNU+AFC regime had issued two permits to ExxonMobil’s subsidiary, Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL) without having any insurance in place. “It was this government, after we assumed office, we inserted robust provisions on this matter.”
Nandlall said all of Exxon’s projects, from Liza Phase One to Yellowtail, are now equipped with a US$600M per occurrence insurance policy. Negotiations, which started since last year, are ongoing for a US$2B provision by EEPGL’s parent.
As for the merits of Patterson’s motion, Nandlall said in his view, it should not have made its way to the floor.
“His motion called for unlimited liability coverage. But that is contrary to the principles of contract and insurance law…It was so repulsive in nature. Imagine an elected MP is coming to House to ask for and debate something which does not exist. Clearly, Patterson is demonstrating a diabolical sense of recklessness with his ignorance by venturing outside of his technical competence. He has no expertise in this area,” argued the Attorney General.
Nandlall said citizens ought to be extremely mindful of every word that is spewed by the opposition as almost everything it says emerges from a putrid pool of untruth.
