Oil and Gas Association President denies forging signature while Gold Board Secretary

Last Updated on Friday, 14 October 2016, 21:05 by Denis Chabrol

Left to Right: President of the Guyana Oil and Gas Association (GOGA), Bobby Gossai Jr; GOGA Director, Nigel Hughes; Resident Representative of the Inter-American Development Bank, Sophie Makonnen and Canada’s Ambassador to Guyana, Pierre Giroux at the launching of GOGA.

The President and Chief Executive Officer of the Guyana Oil and Gas Association (GOGA, Bobby Gossai Jr. On Friday vehemently denied that he ever forged anyone’s signature while he was Secretary to the Board of Directors of the Guyana Gold Board.

“At no given time did the Secretary used, reused (“lifted”), misrepresented or disguised the signature of the former chairperson for any undertaking in his capacity on the Board, for professional or other benefits,” Gossai said in reaction to concerns about his integrity for the job of the newly-formed association which seeks to, among other things, promote transparency and accountability in Guyana’s hydrocarbon sector.

He issued a veiled threat that legal action would be taken if the media continue to peddle such information about him. “Should these character attacks not be stopped, then the appropriate actions will be sought and implemented, accordingly.”

GOGA has since issued a statement saying that it was unaware of the “specific contents” of the Audit Report referred to in the Kaieteur News article. “The Board of Directors has since secured a copy of the Audit Report and will be considering the contents of the report as a matter of urgency.”

Gossai, who worked at the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment, is on a probationary period as GOGA’s boss.

He recalled serving the Board with honour and that he was never terminated or dismissed from the Board.

Declaring that various articles in a number of the daily national newspapers appeared to have a negative angle in regurgitated old news that he had addressed when the Guyana Gold Board’s audit report was released, he reiterated that “I acted within the confines of my job on all related matter for the Guyana Gold Board, and discharged my responsibilities professionally and in accordance with the directions of the Board of Directors.”

He said the Secretary acted in full compliance within the mandate of the Guyana Gold Board Act, the management of the Guyana Gold Board and, where necessary through effective policy guidance from the former Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment, which was always related to the Board of Directors by the former Chairperson and that all tasks performed for the benefit of the organisation by the Secretary was done with the full disclosure and consent of the Chairperson of the Board, during that period.

He added that during his tenure as Secretary to the Board of Directors of the Guyana Gold Board, he performed his duties which were directives from my seniors and never engaged in any skulduggery.

“At no time, did I undertake any task (financial, procurement, managerial, human resources, or otherwise) on my own accord. All tasks were done with the full knowledge of the Guyana Gold Board’s management team, its Directors and Chairperson, and the subject Minister, at that time,” he said.

He reasoned that he as he was taking up a new opportunity, someone seems to have an agenda to use old news t tarnish his professional character  and such a move “must end.”

“We are living in serious times, in a country that is looking for serious developmental principles, as such, we must focus on the issues that matter for our growth as a nation, and not on personal agendas that may seek to disrupt someone’s integrity,” he said.

“My entire professional career has been built on my abilities to successfully perform the tasks which have been given to me. I have always executed my job with honour, integrity and respect, which has afforded me the opportunity to be effective in achieving those respective goals,” he added.