Hours after the Government announced that it will be moving to take disciplinary action against the Head of the Petroleum Unit, Bobby Gossai, over the Exxon audit fiasco, the Opposition said it is convinced that the Petroleum Unit’s Head is being made a “scapegoat” to cover up the actions of more senior government officials.

The Petroleum Unit at the Natural Resources Ministry had slashed the US$214M in questionable expenses incurred by ExxonMobil for its exploration of the Stabroek Block, to US$3M.

It was the Guyana Revenue Authority in its audit that flagged the US$214 million that Exxon was claiming. The reduction was reportedly done after a meeting between Exxon and the Petroleum Unit Head.

Leader of the Opposition, Aubrey Norton said the entire controversy smells of corruption.

“What I do know, is that the Government is throwing him under the bus to protect the political director that has responsibility to ensure that a proper audit is done,” Norton told reporters during a virtual press conference today.

He added: “And to come now, to tell us, some public servant name Gossai is responsible, is ridiculous, is an attempt to hide the corruption. It is an attempt by Bharrat Jagdeo to protect himself and the Government at the expense of a public servant.”

Norton said it was not until the opposition and the media raised an alarm that the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Administration launched an ‘investigation’ into the matter.

But Norton is not buying the apparent findings of the “investigation.”

“We do not believe that the public servant is responsible. This is cost recovery. This is dealing with what we will get as profits. That surely cannot be left to a public servant; it has to be the responsibility of the political government. The public servants give technical and other support. So, to blame Mr Goosai, really and truly, is throwing him under the bus,” the Opposition Leader said.

Describing the members of the Government as authoritarians, Norton said Gossai may be too afraid to come forward with the ‘truth.’

Weighing in on the matter, Opposition Member of Parliament, Ganesh Mahipaul said as a public servant, Gossai could not have acted in isolation.

“Mr Gossai could not have operated in isolation. He had to be given directives and it would have had to be the knowledge of the permanent secretary that all of this is happening,” MP Mahipaul said.

The Natural Resources Minister said in a meeting with him and the Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo in July 2023, Mr. Gossai reported that the initial sum was reduced to just over US$11 million and then further reduced to US$3million.

But MP Mahipaul raised new questions as to why the Vice President, the Natural Resources Minister and the Head of the Petroleum Unit were even involved in the auditing process.

“So, if the Guyana Revenue Authority is the final body to make a pronouncement on the issue, why was Bharrat Jagdeo and Vickram Bharrat engaged in a meeting with Mr Gossai? Because, that’s what Vickram said here, he said in a meeting with the President and I, Mr Gossai reported that the initial sum was reduced to USD$11,497,140 and then further down, to USD$3,414,853.68. So, Vickram Bharrat, both Bharrats they knew what was happening at the Ministry of Natural Resources,” MP Mahipaul said.

The Natural Resources Minister is adamant that the Head of the Petroleum Unit acted without the requisite authorization to engage with the oil company.

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