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Sunday January 26, 2020
Kaieteur News
Stanley Ming’s joint venture partner under investigation for corruption in Angola
US$200M Oil and Gas Shorebase Project...
By Kiana Wilburg Philanthropist and motor racing fanatic, Stanley Ming, envisions establishing a state-of-the-art shore base at Parika, East Bank Essequibo. It is projected to create hundreds of jobs for his Guyanese brothers and sisters. But he cannot accomplish this on his own. While Ming has the land, he does not have the money hence his partnership with InterOil Group Limited, a company that is based in the United Kingdom. His joint venture partner has an extensive global presence. It has businesses in Dubai, Uganda, Cyprus, Malta and Angola. Impressed with the firm’s global reach, Ming and his UK partner subsequently created and incorporated in April 2019, InterOil Guyana followed by the registration of ISIKA Shore base Inc. which will design and build the US$200M East Bank Essequibo shore base this year. Independent research by Kaieteur News reveals however that this company Ming is in bed with one of many being investigated for corruption in Angola. InterOil is one of several companies which worked with Angola’s highly mismanaged state-owned oil company, Sonangol. President José Eduardo dos Santos administration, Kaieteur News understands, allegedly stole billions of dollars on a yearly basis from Sonangol. In fact, the former President had appointed his daughter, Isabel dos Santos, as Chairwoman of Sonangol
in 2016. With her father’s connections and control over the state resources, Isabel became the richest woman in Africa. Now that Angola is under new leadership, State prosecutors are going after the Angolan princess. They have since laid fraud-related charges against Isabel for mismanaging and embezzling funds during her 18-month stint as Chair of Sonangol. Angola’s state oil company had contained US$57M in its account and by the time Isabel was done with it, only US$309 remained. The current government is now pleading for international support to recover the stolen revenue while simultaneously investigating all the companies that have worked with Sonangol. ANGOLA IS THE PROBLEM Over the weekend, Kaieteur News contacted Christian Fascio, the Country Manager for InterOil Guyana
vestigation. Kaieteur News had also informed Fascio that there were some online news reports which suggest that InterOil had more than an arms-length relationship with Sonangol. But he was quick to state that his company is the opposite of whatever is
and several queries were made about the parent company’s operations in Angola. Fascio was keen to note that Angola is a problematic country while confirming that it is not just InterOil, but all the companies that dealt with Sonangol that are under in-
said about them. The Country Manager also told Kaieteur News that while the news agency is free to publish what it wants, the company is entitled to engage its legal department should there be a news item that is written without proof. ‘I DID NOT KNOW’
Philanthropist and Motor racing fanatic, Stanley Ming
Businessman Stanley Ming showing the location of the shore base (News Room photograph) Ming was also engaged what Fascio was told is that in strategic alliance with reliover the weekend by this InterOil Group is owed money able and proven technical newspaper about the con- by the contractor who hired partners. Its core business nections his joint venture them to work for Sonangol,” involves managing support Ming said. vessels in that country. partner has with Sonangol. At the end of the day, the WAY FORWARD The former politician said, Ming told Kaieteur News “From the time you told me businessman said that about it, I questioned Fascio InterOil cannot do anything that he intends to find out as but he did not know anything without his “say-so” since he much as possible about about it because he did not is the 51 percent shareholder. InterOil’s relations with work in Angola. He had to call He confirmed however that Sonangol. The businessman the people in Europe and InterOil has informed him that said. “I want them to come asked them about the it is under investigation like clean with me because I will many other companies. not support dishonesty and Sonangol issue.” Additionally, Ming was my reputation is at stake. I am He added, “My understanding, because I was lis- adamant that he knew noth- not into that kind of stuff. I tening in on some of the con- ing about how deeply told the Ministers and everyversation, is that Sonangol is InterOil may or may not have one since I met these guys the Angolan state oil com- been involved in the opera- that if you find anything that needs to be investigated then pany and that company like tions of Sonangol. “We checked as much as let me know...” every other big company of Ming said his dream is to that nature has contractors all we could but we didn’t have over the world including the resources to check have this shore base project many of those who are here thoroughly...We did not go in become a reality and for right now like Halliburton, depth about their connections Guyanese to “run the show.” “But I maintain that I had Schlumberger, and the big to Sonangol and to what exno idea that they were being guys that provide services to tent,” Ming added. Kaieteur News found via investigated for relations with Exxon.” Ming said that InterOil its research that InterOil Sonangol. It was a surprise to had a contract with one of the Angola was actually regis- me when you told me about big international companies tered in 2005 with Sonangol it,” the philanthropist conworking for Sonangol. “And and offers oil and gas services cluded.
Taxi-driver remanded on gun charge A 25-year-old taxi-driver was on Friday arraigned before Acting Chief Magistrate Sherdel Isaacs-Marcus in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts after he was allegedly caught by the police with a gun in his car. The defendant, Terrence Primo of 14th Avenue, Diamond, East Bank Demerara, pleaded guilty to the charge which stated that on January 20, 2020, at Leopold Street, Georgetown he had in his possession one .38 revolver when he was not a licensed firearm holder. Primo said, “The firearm was in my vehicle so I pleading guilty to it.” Magistrate Marcus asked the defendant if he knew the gun was in the vehicle. Primo responded, “At that time I didn’t know it was there…and it does not belong to me either.”A not guilty plea was then entered by Magistrate
Remanded: Terrence Primo Marcus, based on what the defendant said to the court. However, police prosecutor Adunni Inniss made objections to bail being granted to the defendant based on the seriousness and penalty of the offence.The prosecutor highlighted that the gun was found under the driver seat of the motor vehicle, on the day
in question about 13:50hrs. Primo was in motor vehicle PTT 7817, where it was parked at Smyth and Breda Streets. Police officers were patrolling the area at that time when they saw the defendant acting in a suspicious manner. The police then approached Primo and asked to conduct a search of his person and the vehicle, a request that he did not object to.The court heard that nothing was found on the defendant but as soon as he [Primo] got out of the driver seat the firearm was discovered tucked away underneath. According to the police when the firearm was found and the allegation was put to the defendant, Primo told the police, “Ow please for another chance.” Primo was arrested, taken into custody and later charged for the offence. After listening to the facts of the charge, Magistrate Marcus remanded the defendant to prison and the matter was adjourned to January 31, 2020.