Latest update April 14th, 2026 12:38 AM
Government policy is not decided by the advisor
-says President Granger on Jan Mangal’s statements
Petroleum Advisor, Dr. Jan Mangal
President David Granger, on Friday made it clear that policy decisions are made by him as the duly elected Head of State and the Cabinet.
While the Government hires and receives advice from advisors and technical officers, the final decision on matters is based on a large number of factors related to policy-making at the national level.
The Head of State was at the time responding to questions about comments attributed to Presidential Advisor on Petroleum, Dr. Jan Mangal.
“Government Policy is not decided by the Advisor. The Advisor advises me and any decision on policy will come out of the Cabinet,” the Head of State said.
This comment followed a statement from the Ministry of the Presidency yesterday, which put on public record that Dr. Mangal is not authorised to speak on behalf of the President or the Government.
President Granger said that while he holds Dr. Mangal’s qualifications and over 18 years of international experience within the oil and gas industry in high regard, the advisor does not make the final decision. “The advisor is very experienced in his field as a technical officer but [ultimately] policy comes from me and my Cabinet,” President Granger said.
Minister of State, Joseph Harmon, at Thursday’s Post Cabinet press briefings, said that it is the President who has to take into consideration, all the advice he receives, coupled with a number of other factors during the decision making process.
“Dr. Mangal is a well-qualified and experienced Guyanese, who is well known internationally… He provides advice to the President. It is up to the President to decide whether he accepts that advice or rejects it. So, it’s not for the Advisor to be making a statement for the President. The President makes his own statements,” he said.
Minister Harmon also said that Dr. Mangal’s comments represent only one opinion among many experts and that the Government of Guyana has consulted with a diverse group of experts on the development of the oil and gas sector. “Dr. Mangal, as a member of the team that advises the President on petroleum, can give his advice within that structure… In that capacity, I believe we’ve had advice from several persons… [international] organisations [and] bodies… and [that] advice we take in due course and where necessary we take [it] on board,” he said.
On Wednesday, it was reported that Mangal although the advisor was not invited to three day oil conference that was held at the Marriott Hotel, Kingston.
However, speaking at the University of Guyana on Thursday, during a forum, the advisor disclosed that the oil agreement with ExxonMobil and its partners can be renegotiated.
Mangal also believed that the generous taxes and a mere two percent royalty was not international norm.
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Granger appears to be way in over his academic ability & needs to listen to the petroleum experts & countries screwed by Exxon Mobile.