ExxonMobil awards brokerage services to Trinidadian firm

There are more than 20 firms in Guyana that have been providing sterling logistical and customs brokerage services for more than 40 years. Yet, these locals were all bypassed by USA oil company, ExxonMobil, which requires such services. The American firm has given its logistical work to a Trinidadian firm, Ramps Logistics. According to its website, Ramps Logistics was founded in 1985 in Trinidad and Tobago by Ramnarine Rampersad offering solely customs brokerage services until it expanded its operations later on. Several persons from the local shipping industry, who spoke with Kaieteur News, all agreed that a Trinidadian firm being given the hog of the logistical work needed in the oil and gas industry is a “national insult” and a “slap in the face of local content”. One experienced official said, “We have more than 20 companies here which can more than satisfy the needs of ExxonMobil in the area of customs brokerage and logistical service operations. “There is no way that a Guyanese company would have been able to do the same in Trinidad and Tobago. Ramps Logistics has been dominating the area since the beginning.” He continued, “It appears that the process for evaluation to get such a job has been carefully crafted by ExxonMobil. It certainly does not take local content into the mix. “This industry belongs to Guyana. Logistical work is but one of the many low hanging fruits in the oil and gas sector. Even this, ExxonMobil is taking away from locals. It is not fair and the locals with the experience will be made to suffer.” It was in early March that ExxonMobil announced that it utilized more than 309 local companies last year. It is over two months and the company, which claims to be a champion of local content is still unable to name the entities it used. If ExxonMobil fails in its duty to name these companies, then its assertions on the matter cannot be taken as genuine or credible. This was noted by Chartered Accountant and Attorney-atlaw, Christopher Ram.

Ram recalled that it was ExxonMobil’s Public and Government Affairs Advisor, Kimberly Brasington, who had disclosed the “questionable” figure. The lawyer said that if Brasington makes such statements, then she and the company must be able to provide the evidence. The Chartered Accountant also stressed that it is for the company, not government to provide the facts since they are the ones benefitting from an extremely generous contract.

(Kaieteurnews)