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No conflict of interest between ExxonMobil and Nigel Hughes – Routledge
Alistair Routledge, Country Manager, ExxonMobil Guyana Limited (EMGL)
Kaieteur News – ExxonMobil Guyana Limited (EMGL) country manager Alistair Routledge on Tuesday joined the debate on whether there is a conflict of interest with Nigel Hughes, the company’s lawyer and the new leader of the Alliance for Change (AFC).
On the sidelines of an event on Tuesday, Routledge was asked: “Given that Mr Hughes is now the leader of a political party, do you see any conflict with his law firm’s relationship with ExxonMobil?”
EMGL’s country manager responded: “That’s not the question that should be asked today, but I will say that we comply with all laws and regulations here and internationally, so we don’t see any conflict of interest (or) any issues whatsoever.”
Last Thursday, Hughes said he welcomed any investigation into his relationship with oil giant ExxonMobil. This came after Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo said he would launch an investigation into Hughes’ relationship with his client ExxonMobil. Days before Hughes was elected as AFC chairman, he explicitly identified ExxonMobil as a client of his law firm Hughes, Fields and Stoby and chose not to answer questions about the company when interviewed by the media.
For the past two weeks, Hughes has faced a conflict of interest in leading AFC while also maintaining EMGL as a client at his law firm, Hughes, Fields & Stoby.
Nigel Hughes, leader of the Alliance for Change (AFC)
Significantly, Hughes has acknowledged critics’ claims, saying that while he is a politically exposed person (PEP), there is no law preventing him from having the oil company as a client. However, he noted that he would sever ties with the company if he were elected president.
The vice president, however, saw it differently, calling Hughes’ stance “obscene” and “immoral.”
“…it was even more disgusting…I cannot express the disgust I felt at that moment. This was a man who aspired to the highest office in the country and had just been chosen as the leader of a political party…” Jagdeo said.
In addition, he said running for public office can sometimes require you to choose between personal interests and national interests, which can come at a financial cost.
Jagdeo said: “Sometimes, when national interest calls you, you have to give up private interests and money. In this case, national interest directly asked him to give up and he said no, he will do it only if he becomes president and in the meantime he will work for ExxonMobil…”
In addition, Jagdeo said the government will focus on the conduct of Exxon and its tier-one contractors now that Hughes is under scrutiny for conflicts of interest.
“This may require a formal investigation into all these issues. I want to make it clear today. There are a lot of politically exposed persons, he (Hughes) is a politically exposed person, as he pointed out, his wife is a member of parliament, but that was not an issue because we don’t want to discriminate, but now he has gone to the AFC, the situation has changed,” Jagdeo added.
The Vice President stressed: “Right now we are considering this issue… Let me be clear, ExxonMobil has a lot of questions to answer because Nigel Hughes, I know he doesn’t want to resign, I know he wants to get the money and still be the leader of AFC, and the conflict of interest doesn’t bother him at all…”
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