Two employees from Ramps Logistics and ExxonMobil Guyana were charged in the Magistrate’s Court today for their alleged involvement in false declarations concerning oil-well equipment. Both parties are being accused of overstating the value of equipment on a customs declaration, sparking a legal battle with the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA).
During the court proceedings, Mariska Jordan, Business Development Manager at Ramps and Steve Gentry of ExxonMobil appeared before Senior Magistrate, Leron Daly at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts. Both individuals pleaded not guilty to the charges, which center around claims of inflating an invoice submitted from US$4.4 million to a staggering US$12.1 billion. Both entities were released on their own recognizance, with the case adjourned until June 28, 2024.
The allegations suggest that a clerical error, purportedly made by Ramps in late 2023, led to the erroneous declaration, denoting the value of equipment in US dollars instead of Guyanese dollars. ExxonMobil has claimed that the mistake did not result in any loss of revenue to the nation or its tax agency, stating that the information on the customs declaration is not used to calculate any cost recovery or taxes. The company asserted its commitment to ethical practices and pledged cooperation with the investigation, providing the corrected value to the GRA.
During the hearing, legal representatives from both sides presented their arguments. ExxonMobil was represented by a team of lawyers, while Ramps Logistics was represented by Senior Counsel Sophia Chote. Attorney-at-Law Jason Moore represented the GRA.
Exxon emphasized its role as not the declarant of the false declaration and underscored Ramps’ contractual obligation to ensure the accuracy of shipping documentation. The company asserted that corrective measures were promptly taken and procedures revised to prevent such errors in the future.
This legal skirmish is not the first time Ramps Logistics has found itself entangled with the GRA over false declarations. In 2022, a previous instance of false declarations prompted GRA to file charges against Ramps Logistics, alleging various violations, including discrepancies in quantities and values of goods declared. These actions underscore concerns over the integrity of operations within Guyana’s burgeoning oil industry.
