Jamaican LNG bidding process under investigation

The lead principal of Caribbean LNG, Ian Moore has defended his company against accusations of wrongdoing in the bidding process for the Jamaican LNG project. Ian Moore fronts a company registered in the British Virgin Islands and is part of the Exmar Consortium.

Last week, The Office of the Contractor General (OCG) raided the offices of the Petroleum Corporation of Jamaica and the Ministry of Energy and Mining, seizing documents relating to the bidding process for the recently awarded LNG project.

The US$ 600 million LNG project was meant to supply Jamaica and help to bring down its spiraling energy costs, brought on by a heavy reliance on imported oil. It is hoped that by bringing down energy costs it will help domestic consumers and revitalise the alumina and bauxite industry, which has become uncompetitive due to the high energy costs.

"We have nothing to hide," Moore told the Business Observer in an interview last weekend. "This initiative is a private concern and has nothing to do with Government. In fact, there are no Government connections."

He has had to make these statements after an anonymous complaint by a ‘seemingly knowledgeable’ source on June 16, 2010, which alluded to allegations of impropriety and irregularity in the bidding process that selected the Exmar consortium as the preferred bidder.

Ian Moore has also instructed his company based in the British Virgin Islands, Coverdale Trust Services Ltd, which acts as Corporate Secretary to Caribbean LNG, to assist the OCG with its enquiries.

Read the article online at: https://www.lngindustry.com/liquid-natural-gas/02072010/jamaican_lng_bidding_process_under_investigation/