A herculean task it would be, identifying a politician the world over, who isn’t corrupt, yet has a 100% project failure record like Bharrat Jagdeo. As a matter of fact, an impossible undertaking it would be, identifying someone who has such a record of failure, yet is with an over inflated ego.
But in Bharrat Jagdeo, we have the latter, a failure in every endeavour, inclusive of his farce marriage. For he was a failure in his Skeldon Sugar Estate Project. He was a failure in his Amalia Falls Hydroelectric Project. He was a failure in his Fibre-Optic Cable Project. He was a failure in his Specialty Hospital Project. He was a failure in his Berbice Bridge Project. He was a failure in his Clico shenanigans. Which means, every project this avaricious philistine contrived, has left the taxpayers with a massive goadee.
But is it possible, Bharrat Jagdeo is taking us for a jackass ride, in leading us to believe, all his failed projects are down to solely ineptitude? For cognisant we are, more often than not, when projects fail, it’s as a consequence of corruption. Thus, this question we are forced to confront; is Bharrat Jagdeo clueless or just corrupt?
For that’s the question which burdens us, in this British IHS-Markit, 1999-2017 audit of our Oil Industry.
In which, Exxon claimed to have incurred expenses of US$1.6 Billion, over the aforementioned period. But of this US$1.6 Billion in Exxon claimed expenses, IHS-Markit advised PPP to dispute US$214 Million. However, with a corrupt Jagdeo hands in our Oil Industry, matters will forever be slippery slimy. For inexplicably he claimed that our disputed amount was reduced from US$214 Million to US$3 Million. Which in effect raised more questions than answers.
- What evidence Exxon provided to justify this 99% reduction in the disputed amount?
- Who in the Petroleum Unit signed off on this?
- Did this signing off evidence corruption?
Nevertheless, caught between a rock and a hard place, Bharat Jagdeo set out to lay his goadee on
GRA. But GRA was having none of it. Absolutely none of it. For they repudiated Jagdeo’s assertion by providing documents to prove that they wrote to the Natural Resource Ministry twice, emphasising that the audit should close with US$214M, as the final disputed amount. So now facing hell’s fire, for what would appear to be some Exxon under the table transaction, Jagdeo’s underling, Vickram Bharat then inexplicably claimed that staff within his Petroleum Unit engaged in an “unauthorized” reduction of the questionable expenses. Then with a Parkinsonian straight face, he reported that the rogue members of the unit have since been instructed to cease such unethical engagements and to follow the lead of the GRA on such audits.
Mark’s Take
The fact of the matter is, Bharrat Jagdeo has stewardship over our burgeoning Oil Industry, thus should take ultimate responsibility for this big cockup. Nevertheless, if we are to believe Vickram Bharat’s assertion of rogue “members of the unit”, that in itself raises further questions.
1. Who are the rogue members of the Petroleum Unit?
2. Are they still employed by the Petroleum Unit?
3. What sanctions these individuals face?
However, this whole episode smells Bourda Market fishy, thus begs the questions; Is Bharrat Jagdeo taking us on another Skeldon ride? Does he really want us to believe, under an anally inclined micromanager like him, there are rogue employees who single handedly reduced the disputed amount by 99%? When it’s more likely than not, the massive reduction in the disputed amount, came from the top, where Jagdeo sits. And more likely than not, this represents an under the table corrupt transaction, meant to further fatten the bank accounts of the crook and his cronies.
But the reality is, as an underdeveloped Third World country, we lack the expertise and wherewithal to investigate such white-colour crimes. And this PPP is well aware of, as they engage in unbridled corruption. However, their corruption comes at a cost. For only recently we were made privy to information that over 300, underpaid and overworked nurses, have resigned from GPHC, over the past year. Nurses and other professionals, protesting with their feet, since they cannot earn a liveable wage because of wanton corruption.
Thus, the question we ask ourselves once again. Is Bharrat Jagdeo clueless or corrupt? For this writer would opine that he is both. Which means, he isn’t fit and proper to lead our Oil Industry. Thus, his employment should be terminated and investigated forthwith. For this shouldn’t be another Sugate.
