The Tribune

By CELESTE NIXON

Tribune Staff Reporter

cnixon@tribunemedia.net

HEAD of Genting Energy Group TS Ong weighed in on the oil drilling debate, calling the situation in the Bahamas “interesting”.

Mr Ong said if soft rock exists in the Bahamas there is a good chance of discovering oil.

He said: “I think the prospect of oil in the Bahamas is interesting to say the least. You have structures – the issue is whether you have soft rock, so we are therefore quite interested to find soft rock and if we can.

“In the oil industry they refer to it as the kitchen, if you find the kitchen to charge up the structures then I think you will have an oil discovery here.”

Prime Minister Perry Christie invited a team from the Genting Energy Group to conduct a feasibility study on energy for the Bahamas.

According to Mr Christie, Mr Ong has a 100 per cent success rate of identifying areas where oil is located  and the Bahamas “has not escaped their attention.”

Last month Mr Christie announced a referendum on oil drilling is likely to be held some time next year but only if certain other factors fall into place.

He said: “We are continuing to talk to those people who are applicants, but as I have indicated before, oil drilling will only take place if the Bahamian people approve it through a referendum.

“It will happen next year some time, and if in fact we are ready, as I anticipate to be with the constitutional review at the end of March. By then (the oil drilling issue) will have the developments that will enable us to look at the question of a referendum.”

Information on how the profits from oil drilling will be shared as well as changes to current legislation will be announced prior to the oil referendum, Mr Christie said.

Leader of the Opposition Dr Hubert Minnis has challenged Mr Christie to “not be a government of referendum”, make up his own mind on the issue and act – not pass the buck to the Bahamian people.

Dr Minnis also criticised Mr Christie’s ability to remain impartial as he once worked as a consultant for the Bahamas Petroleum Company (BPC).

It was also announced in September that BPC fulfilled all its required licence and regulatory obligations and was therefore granted a three year license allowing them to drill test wells in Bahamian waters.

Mr Christie has constantly defended his connection to the oil company, claiming there was nothing wrong with advising BPC because he was a “lawyer” at the time and not Prime Minister.

He was hired through the law firm of Davis & Co, which was headed by now Deputy Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis.

Graham Thompson & Co, of which former PLP attorney general Sean McWeeney is a partner, was also listed on the BPC’s website, as was PLP candidate for Killarney Jerome Gomez – as its resident manager.