ExxonMobil, Ramps managers on bail for false declaration to GRA

Representatives from ExxonMobil Guyana Limited (EMGL) and Ramps Logistics were Friday granted self-bail for allegedly submitting an inflated invoice to the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) for oil well equipment, inflating the cost from US$4.4 million to US$12.1 billion.

Mariska Jordan, a manager at  Ramps Logistics and Steve Gentry, a manager at ExxonMobil appeared before Senior Magistrate Leron Daly at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.

The pair denied that on November 16, 2023, at Camp Street, they made an untrue declaration to the Guyana Revenue Authority. Their next court date is set for June 28.

ExxonMobil was represented by a battery of lawyers which was led by Senior Counsel Edward Luckhoo.  Ramp Logistics was represented by Senior Counsel Sophia Chote from Trinidad and Tobago.

GRA was represented by Attorney Jason Moore.

Ramps Logistics and ExxonMobil had a contractual relationship where Ramps Logistics provides services to support ExxonMobil’s operations in Guyana.

In 2017, Ramps Logistics Guyana was awarded a five-year logistics contract by ExxonMobil.

However, there are allegations that Ramps Logistics made false declarations to the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) by inflating the value of goods imported on behalf of ExxonMobil.

Ramps Logistics allegedly declared a value of US$12.1 billion for goods that actually cost US$4.4 million.

The GRA flagged Ramps Logistics and over 50 other companies for making false declarations, with a particular focus on the oil and gas sector.

The GRA requested ExxonMobil to show cause why legal proceedings should not be instituted against it, as Ramps Logistics claimed the inflated declaration was based on information from ExxonMobil’s system.

However, Exxon claims it was not the declarant, that Ramps, its then broker, made the declaration, and that any error was a typographical mistake that did not harm the GRA.

The GRA alleges that Exxon caused the false declaration to be made. Ramps previously faced 10 charges in 2022 for false declarations but was cleared in April 2023.