GPL says suppliers not involved in T&T oil spill

…local businessman denies ownership of transporting boat

The Guyana Power and Light on Wednesday said that its suppliers are not involved in the Trinidad and Tobago oil spill.
In a statement on Wednesday, GPL said that that it is aware of the recent oil spill that occurred off the coast of Trinidad and Tobago and joins with the rest of Guyana in expressing its concern regarding the environmental implications and impact on the people of Trinidad and Tobago.
According to GPL, it had tendered for the Supply and Delivery of Heavy Fuel Oil in June 2023, via national competitive bidding. Six bids were received and the tender was awarded on October 24, 2023, to Staatsolie MaatSchappij Suriname N.V. (the first ranked bidder). An additional award for the supply and delivery of HFO was awarded to the joint venture Rapid Results Inc. and Osher International Holdings LLC (the second ranked bidder) to augment GPL’s increasing consumption of HFO and supply requirements.
GPL said that the terms of both contracts require the suppliers to deliver the fuel to GPL’s ports along the Demerara River. Title, ownership, and risk of loss for the fuel passes from the suppliers to GPL at the discharge port. GPL has not received any notification from any of its contracted fuel suppliers that they have encountered difficulties with their vessel(s) resulting in the loss of cargo.
“GPL therefore wishes to unequivocally state that the company is not related to this unfortunate incident,” the power company.

Businessman denies
Meanwhile, local businessman Mohamed Qualander in a statement on Wednesday said that he has noted with great concern a Facebook post under the page name of “The Real PPP” which made the claim that a vessel carrying fuel that capsized off the coast of Trinidad & Tobago belongs to “Mohamed Qualander aka Arafat.”
“I wish to state that I have never owned any fuel boat and I have never been involved in the trading of fuel in Guyana or anywhere else in the world and that I have absolutely no knowledge of or relationship with the vessel mentioned in the Facebook post. As a result of this post, I have received calls from friends, family members and business partners, both local and international who have expressed concern and dismay at the article and its insinuations,” the businessman said.
He said that the Facebook post has been reported to the Cyber Crimes unit of the Guyana Police Force.