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1 . 6 . APRIL 9, 2006 THE SUNDAY TIMES NEWS McCaffrey, left, says her training with Quinn, right, was an ‘absolute transformation’ that led ultimately to her company striking oil in the Central American state of Belize Has mind guru’s teaching paid off in giant oil strike? WAS it a case of mind over matter? A tiny company set up by two Irish women and three geol- 1950s to the 1990s of hundreds of millions of dollars.” Kerrygold, which has to be John Briceno, Belize’s minister refined,” said McCaffrey. “The of natural resources, calculates quality of their oil is just 15-25 that at current prices the governAPI [a measurement of oil ment’s take from even smallpurity]. Here we’re sitting on scale pumping of around oil which is closer to 40. To get 60,000 bpd would fund the an idea of what that means, die- country’s budget. 25 miles Enda Leahy Quinn’s philosophy, which ogists in 2002 has struck oil in quit the country in disappoint- promotes what he calls “mind Belize, with the help of contro- ment after failing to find a technology”, has been criticised versial lifestyle guru Tony gusher, but BNE scored three as brainwashing but is MEXICO <ul style="display: flex;"><li style="flex:1">Quinn. </li><li style="flex:1">times in its first three attempts, defended by adherents as posi- </li></ul><ul style="display: flex;"><li style="flex:1">Succeeding where multi- and the government believes it tive and life-changing. </li><li style="flex:1">sel in a refined state is 42.” </li><li style="flex:1">“If we could produce even </li></ul>Belize <ul style="display: flex;"><li style="flex:1">billion dollar corporations had could soon be producing </li><li style="flex:1">Complaints about Quinn’s </li><li style="flex:1">Producers in surrounding 20,000 bpd, you can imagine </li></ul>countries have only discovered what we could do with that,” he oilfields that yield up to 200 said in a recent interview. “It bpd, while BNE is pumping could make a huge difference 1,000 bpd. McCaffrey esti- for our little country.” City failed, the company has found 20,000 barrels of oil per day techniques have come from the Ucommercial quantities of high- (bpd). quality crude in the small Cenlikes of Dialogue Ireland, a cult Sheila watchdog, which says seminars Gulf of Honduras BELIZE Enniskillen-born tral American state, population McCaffrey, a director of BNE, in the Bahamas costing ¤18,500 290,000. They claim their suc- said the company’s success was are proof of the “idiot effect” Mmates at least 70m barrels lie under their exploration area. Last week BNE volunteered <ul style="display: flex;"><li style="flex:1">to give 1% of its earnings to a </li><li style="flex:1">cess was partly due to a mind- not pot luck. </li></ul>training course from Quinn. Belize Natural Energy with Tony Quinn; it was an direction in life when they pay — “the phenomenon of entre- <ul style="display: flex;"><li style="flex:1">“Seven years ago I trained preneurs losing the plot and </li><li style="flex:1">“You’d expect in a situation fund for medical and environ- </li></ul>like this it must be people mental initiatives in the state. It <ul style="display: flex;"><li style="flex:1">vastly experienced in the oil has already handed over the </li><li style="flex:1">(BNE), backed by American absolute transformation. It com- inflated prices for courses avail- </li></ul>and Irish investors, claims to pletely changed my life and it’s able for a few euros in a paperhave found so much oil that the the only reason I’m in Belize back”. Usher died suddenly in June industry and backed by people first $500,000 (¤413,480), even 2004 but one year on BNE who are industry professionals. before its contract comes into Belize government reckons its today,” she said last week. 7.5% cut from the discovery McCaffrey and Belfast-born drilled its first hole, named That is just the opposite of us,” effect. <ul style="display: flex;"><li style="flex:1">“The history showed us that geologist Susan Morrice, who Mike Usher 1 in his memory, she said. </li><li style="flex:1">The Irish company has been </li></ul><ul style="display: flex;"><li style="flex:1">“The result is what you’re remarkably quick about turning </li><li style="flex:1">will pay the entire national 50 companies failed spectacu- met working on oil and gas and struck oil on the anniver- </li></ul><ul style="display: flex;"><li style="flex:1">budget for a year. </li><li style="flex:1">larly to find anything commer- exploration projects in Ireland, sary of his death. Mike Usher 2 starting to see now, transposing its discovery into cash. In Janu- </li></ul>A succession of oil majors cial, with a budget line from the set up the company with Mike and 3, the second and third itself out of the ground. People ary, it shipped 40,000 barrels to Usher, a Belizian geologist who holes, proved they not only had can be as sceptical about it as Houston, earning $2m. was convinced the country was struck oil but that it was of the they like, quite frankly, but I oil-rich. They had financing highest quality possible. would be prepared to just sit pay Belize is much less than in from Morrice’s husband, “In all the surrounding coun- back and say the results will other oil-producing countries. Colorado oil executive, and tries you’ve got heavy crude oil speak for themselves.” Royalties to Norway for explomore than 80 Irish investors. the consistency of butter, like So is the local government. ration in the North Sea are 70%. The 7.5% royalty it has to aShell’s Rossport spin doctor calls for alternative pipeline Loftus has been given three-year contract and is paid ¤58,000 per annum. He says that during his interview with Shell he was “uncompromising and confrontational”, and told the company he wouldn’t defend their mistakes and wouldn’t be their apologist or spin doctor in north Mayo. Morale remains high among anti-Shell protesters, Harrington said. The Rossport Solidarity Camp was reopened at the beginning of the month after many of its members spent the winter on lecture tours around England and Europe aAine Ryan A SPIN DOCTOR appointed to improve Shell’s image in Mayo, where it is engaged in a long-running battle to bring gas onshore, has predicted that its pipeline will never run through Rossport. Christy Loftus, recently appointed as external affairs adviser by Shell, has advised his employers to start looking for alternative routes. “I’ve told Shell that I believe the pipeline will never be laid along that route, and I think they are listening to me,” he said. Loftus, left, has yet to convert Harrington to Shell’s view Maura Harrington, a Shell to when Shell lifted the injunction espousing the cause. “All we But the former Western Peo- Sea spokeswoman who is a gael- against them. Shell was need now is our first camp ple journalist has also warned goir and teacher, said she had awarded costs. that attempts by Shell to Sea, a considered acknowledging Lof- Loftus said he was relieved baby,” said Harrington. Mary Corduff, wife of one of protest group, to have the gas tus’s letter with a “fuaireas do that Judge Finnegan did not the Rossport Five, said it was processed offshore will never litir”. This is traditional civil return the men to jail. “It would typical of Shell’s cynicism to be considered by the company service speak for “I got your let- have been a public relations use Mayo natives in an attempt <ul style="display: flex;"><li style="flex:1">because of the economic impli- ter, but don’t want to know”. </li><li style="flex:1">nightmare for Shell. The reality to drive a wedge among the peo- </li></ul><ul style="display: flex;"><li style="flex:1">Other locals are scathing is, there will be no progress ple. “The only people Shell </li><li style="flex:1">cations. </li></ul>Loftus, who is attending Irish about Loftus and another public until these men sit across a feels sorry for is themselves,” classes to improve his ability to relations appointee, retired table from Shell and negotiate. said Corduff. communicate with locals, chief superintendent John I see that as the only way foradmits he has made little or no Carey, from the Belmullet area. ward,” Loftus said. Loftus says he has a clear conscience about his new position. progress since his appointment in February. <ul style="display: flex;"><li style="flex:1">Last Friday, the president of </li><li style="flex:1">The Rossport Five are now He said he has supported the </li></ul>the High Court ruled that the concerned that Shell will pur- Shell development from the out- In early March, he sent letters Rossport Five should not have sue them for costs. “We may set and believes it will bring to the Rossport Five, the five to serve any more time in jail have to go to jail again,” said economic benefits to the men who are objecting to the for their contempt of court after Willie Corduff, one of the five, county. “However, if I were in <ul style="display: flex;"><li style="flex:1">construction of the pipeline their protests prevented Shell yesterday. </li><li style="flex:1">the shoes of the any one of the </li></ul><ul style="display: flex;"><li style="flex:1">through Rossport, and from carrying on its business in Shell confirmed its legal Rossport Five and I had safety </li><li style="flex:1">a</li></ul>number of Shell to Sea activ- Mayo. The court took into team will review Friday’s rul- concerns about a gas pipeline ists, suggesting informal meet- account that they had served 94 ing on costs. “We will urgently running close to my house, I ings. He has received no days in prison last year. They seek clarification on this mat- would have acted in the same <ul style="display: flex;"><li style="flex:1">replies. </li><li style="flex:1">were released last September ter,” said a spokeswoman. </li><li style="flex:1">way,” he said. </li></ul>Editor warned on ‘little Welshies’ <ul style="display: flex;"><li style="flex:1">A PANELLIST on the BBC’s </li><li style="flex:1">“I will write to them and tell </li><li style="flex:1">“The Welsh, I can tell you, </li><li style="flex:1">Odone had agreed to appear </li></ul>Question Time has been given a them that this is an absolute are whooping it up already,” only at the last moment after Aldressing down by British police waste of their time and this is said Odone. “They are saying, lison Pearson, another newsfor referring to inhabitants of not the role of the police,” said ‘We are going to have a whole paper columnist, had dropped Wales as “little Welshies”, Odone, 45. writes Abul Taher. Her “anti-Welsh” comments up here’. And from now on, ator mistakenly gave Pearson’s North Wales police told Cris- came in a Question Time pro- they [the English] are not going name to the caller. tina Odone, a columnist and gramme in late February. The to be talking about the ‘leeks’, English football extravaganza out. The BBC switchboard oper- The caller later rang the former editor of the Catholic panel was having Herald, that her comments re- hearted discussion <ul style="display: flex;"><li style="flex:1">a</li><li style="flex:1">light- and they are not going to be talk- police, who failed to detect that </li></ul>about ing about the ‘little Welshies’. he had given them the wrong presented a “race incident” as whether Cardiff might host the They are going to be saying name. A North Wales police opposed to any racial crime. She was ticked off only when stadium was not built in time, in here, could we please?’ ” she contacted police after find- the same way that the Welsh An angry viewer called the added that it took anti-Welsh ing they had sent an official capital is standing in for the BBC after the programme and racial slurs seriously. letter of warning about her unfinished Wembley stadium demanded to know the identity “This is political correctness comments to the wrong person. for football matches. of the panellist. gone mad,” said Odone. 2012 Olympics if the London ‘Excuse me, could we come in spokeswoman admitted that the force had made a mistake, but

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