Guyana’s local content law is likely to achieve the opposite of what was intended by its creators – Here is why I believe so

National news outlets, including this distinguished newspaper, have been documenting problems that are emerging as a consequence of the Local Content Act, which was passed by Parliament in late December 2021. Companies, such as Ramps Logistics Guyana, the largest logistics company servicing the oil and gas sector, has apparently been denied access to the local…

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ExxonMobil’s noncompliance with Guyana’s Sovereign Tax laws should be of concern to all especially the US Internal Revenue Service

The public deserves information on the outcomes of the 2016 Petroleum Sharing Agreement, PSA2016. Article 15.1 purports that Guyana’s tax laws are complied with by the contractor and its affiliated companies. This is in form only. Substance of actual corporation profits tax, under Guyana’s Sovereign Tax laws, are not paid into Guyana’s Consolidated Fund. This…

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Minister Trotman was fully aware he needed to hire oil and gas experts, Guyana has lost massive amounts via disastrous negotiations

The Honourable Minister Trotman, in the Guyana Standard online publication on the 28th May 2019, said “… at no point during his tenure did he (Jan Mangal) ever request that capacity be developed or that the relevant expertise be hired to ensure independent reviews of data on the Stabroek Block which would be submitted by…

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Preparing for Guyana’s oil & gas industry: Membership of the Extractive Industries Initiative (EITI)

Introduction Last Sunday’s column completed my presentation of ten lessons which I have argued the Guyanese authorities can profitably learn from a studied appraisal of worldwide experiences with oil-based sovereign wealth funds (SWFs) over the past six decades. As I had indicated at the start of that presentation on the lessons to be learnt, after…

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