More oil contracts to be released by month-end

Following the release of its contract with ExxonMobil and calls from that Company for a level playing field to be created, the Government said it would soon be publishing contracts it signed with other oil companies.

At a press conference on Thursday, January 25, 2018, at its Brickdam Office, Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman said at least two of the contracts will be released by the end of this month.

Trotman said the companies that they have contacted have not objected to having the contracts disclosed.

“The responses received so far have been that there is no objection to the release and so we are aiming to begin posting more contracts at the end of this month. Hopefully, we will get two up by next week,” Trotman told reporters.

He noted that while the Ministry is starting with oil companies, it will be expanded to all companies in the natural resources sector.

Trotman had previously stated that the website developed by the Government to publish its contract with ExxonMobil, will be used to disclose the others.

On numerous occasions, Government cited confidentiality clauses within contracts, including the one with ExxonMobil, as the main reason why they cannot be released to the public.

However, Trotman subsequently said the confidentiality clauses within the contracts will be reviewed.

“But I believe that in the context of 2017, these clauses don’t hold much water,” the Natural Resources Minister had said in December. (Bibi Khatoon)