While the Oban project for East Grand Bahama remains in a holding pattern, Oban President Alexander Grikitis said yesterday the company remains committed to it.
In February 2018, Oban Energies signed a heads of agreement (HOA) with The Bahamas government to develop an oil refinery and storage facility on Grand Bahama.
Following controversy that engulfed the plans, Oban agreed to renegotiate certain provisions of the HOA.
In a statement yesterday, Grikitis indicated that admittedly things are moving slowly.
However, all requests, modifications and reconsiderations to their plan asked of them by the government have long since been addressed, he indicated.
“Oban maintains its commitment to move forward with this project,” Grikitis said.
“The government has been extremely thorough in that since our first discussions nearly two years ago, they’ve asked us to make revisions to our plans, which we have. We’ve completed an environmental impact assessment (EIA), and at their request, included certain additional accommodations to our plan that will directly enrich the local community of East Grand Bahama.”
He further stated that Oban has completed, ahead of schedule, an extremely robust emergency management plan (EMP), in light of the unprecedented and devastating impact of Hurricane Dorian on the island of Grand Bahama.
“We understand and respect that the government must complete its necessary due diligence and we are in complete agreement and compliance with this process,” said Grikitis, adding, “unfortunately, we’re unable to share any substantial details of our plans with the public until the government completes its process.
“We are ready to answer the public’s concerns, address their questions — do whatever it takes to assure them that the environment and safety of the Bahamian people are of the utmost importance to us.”
It is unclear why the government is silent on the Oban project. The government said the matter remains before a Cabinet subcommittee.
The Nassau Guardian understands that the two parties have yet to come to a complete and final agreement on the way forward.
Grikitis said, “A project of this magnitude has the potential to bring much needed employment and other economic benefits to an island that is desperate to see a turn around to its bleak economy.”
According to a statement, Oban Energies is an independently owned energy company, whose mission is to provide high quality technologically innovative service to their customers and the Commonwealth of the Bahamas.
“A top priority of Oban Energies is to deliver the highest environmental and marine standards, while delivering a superior customer experience through operational excellence that provides safe, consistent and reliable performance, with the highest integrity,” the company said.
The post Oban ‘committed’ to GB project appeared first on The Nassau Guardian.
source https://thenassauguardian.com/2020/02/21/oban-committed-to-gb-project/
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