Hughes calls for modern campaign finance laws ahead of 2025 elections

Jul 15, 2024 News

Kaieteur News – Leader of the Alliance For Change (AFC), Nigel Hughes on Friday called for the implementation of modern campaign financing laws.

AFC leader, Nigel Hughes

Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo

His comment was in response to statements made by Vice President (VP), Bharrat Jagdeo that there is a possibility that ExxonMobil Guyana Limited (EMGL) can fund the AFC campaign under the pretense of legal services, given that the oil company is a client of Hughes’ law firm – Hughes, Field & Stoby.

At the AFC presser, Hughes said, “On the topic of campaign finance legislation, the Vice President has brought to our attention his concerns about the issue of campaign finance.”

He continued, “We are happy that he has raised this issue, as it is clear that in a modern Guyana there is a requirement for robust advanced, campaign finance laws, which obliges all parties to disclose their sources of income and donation so that the citizenry of Guyana can be assured that the proceeds of club crime, including drug and gold smuggling, do not find their way into our national and regional politics.”

The AFC leader explained that modern campaign finance legislation would force all parties during the campaign period and in the build up to the campaign or even while in government to disclose their sources of income and those that provide material support, whether security vehicles, bulletproof vehicles or other sources of finance.

“All of these will be captured as a result of modern campaign finance legislation,” he added.

At his last press conference, Vice President Jagdeo expressed concern about what he considers to be a conflict of interest posed by Hughes being an attorney on Exxon’s payroll.

Last Tuesday, Exxon’s Country Manager, Alistair Routledge said there is no conflict of interest between Hughes being one of Exxon’s attorneys and him being leader of the AFC.

“…We comply with all laws and regulations here and internationally so we don’t believe we have any conflict of interest [or] any issues,” Routledge told reporters on the sideline of an event.

Notwithstanding the Hughes’ and Routledge’s utterances, Jagdeo is adamant that a conflict of interest exists.

“[If he thinks] that will prevail with us, he better think again.” He added, “So the obscenity of it is, he is a conflicted party, Exxon is a conflicted party itself, so it is like you have a conflict between two parties and the two parties saying oh we are not conflicted, what else do you expect them to say.”

Jagdeo highlighted that neither Exxon nor Hughes can objectively determine the absence of a conflict of interest.

Hughes for his part has stated that because EMGL is a client of his law firm – he will take a back seat when it comes to oil and gas related matters in the AFC. In fact, the party has appointed former Director of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Dr. Vincent Adams and former Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson to head the AFC’s Oil and Gas Advisory Committee.

Hughes had said, “If and when elected to office, I will relinquish all ties with the firm of Hughes, Fields & Stoby.” He maintains that currently, there is no conflict of interest with Exxon being a client of his law firm.

Jagdeo, however, pointed out that Hughes, as AFC leader, could potentially influence policies, given the party’s representation in the National Assembly.

“Exxon is a conflicted party too because they have hired, [they] have on their payroll in the country of Guyana, the leader of a political party that is represented in the National Assembly that has a number of seats in the National Assembly and therefore in a position to have a say on policies,” he said.

Jagdeo also highlighted concerns about the lack of transparency regarding the payments from Exxon to Hughes.

Jagdeo alleged, “That figure [Could] be inflated for work not done and may have all the bearing of a legal payment but it is a political contribution to him and his party to ensure that the interest of ExxonMobil is protected in any future government or even in the National Assembly now.”

He continued, “How is this not a conflict of interest? Maybe Exxon has worked this way in other countries in other parts of the world…”

Moreover, Hughes has publicly stated that he welcomes any investigation into his relationship with oil giant ExxonMobil. His comments followed statements by Vice President Jagdeo who suggested that an investigation will be launched into Hughes’ relationship with his client, Exxon.

Notably, Hughes has already acknowledged the critics saying that while he is a Politically Exposed Person (PEP), there is no law that prevents him from having the oil company as a client.

However, the Vice President shares a different view, calling Hughes’ position “obscene” and “unethical.”

“…It’s even more obscene…I can’t convey the feeling of revulsion that I felt. This is someone aspiring to the highest office in the country, who has just been elected the leader of a party…” Jagdeo stated at a previous press conference.

Added to that, Jagdeo said that when running for office, it can sometimes cost you financially, choosing between personal gain and the country.

“Sometimes you have to forego the private benefits, money basically when national interest calls you and, in this case, he was asked directly and he says no, only if [he] become president, [he] will do that. In the meantime, [he] will work for Exxon…,” the Vice President said at a previous press conference.

He stated that given that Hughes has come under scrutiny for conflict of interest, the Government will be watching what Exxon and its first-tier contractors do.

“This may necessitate a formal investigation into all these matters. I am making it clear today. There is a lot of politically exposed people, he [Hughes] is politically exposed as he pointed out, his wife is a Member of Parliament, but it was not an issue because we didn’t want to discriminate but what change is that now, he has gone to the AFC,” Jagdeo added.

The Vice President underscored, “Now that we are looking at this…let me make it clear, that Exxon has a lot to answer because Nigel Hughes, knowing him, he will not want to resign, knowing him, he would want to collect the money and still be leader of the AFC and conflict of interest would not bother him at all…”