Latest update March 29th, 2025 5:38 AM
Govt’s engagement with US congressmen… I fear they might have shot themselves in the foot again, putting us in more trouble – Jagdeo
President Granger sitting at the head of the table during yesterday’s meeting with the US delegation
“This government has an enormous capacity to mess up and I am sure they messed up a few times in that meeting,” said Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo at his press conference yesterday.
Jagdeo was speaking about the meeting that the Government had with a team of Congressmen from the United States yesterday morning.
Jagdeo expressed that he had an ominous feeling about the meeting knowing how the last “secret” engagements that the Government had with Americans—ExxonMobil officials—turned out.
The former President said, “The last set of secret incompetent negotiations led to the selling out of our interest through the signing of a contract that most of Guyana believes is stacked heavily in the favour of ExxonMobil. We are very worried about all these secret engagements with the government in an open society like ours.”
Jagdeo said, “Even Moses (Prime Minister Nagamootoo) did not know, he was not included, poor chap. But they say that it is about oil and gas. I have been reading elsewhere that it could be about the Venezuela situation and that may very well be what was discussed, but if that is the case why go through (Minister of Natural Resources Raphael) Trotman.”
Jagdeo said that with the looming oil industry, it is well known that the Guyana will be extremely important to the US economy. He said that he is just anticipating what will come out about how bad the government has messed up.
This newspaper asked that he expand on some of his concerns and give some of the possible areas where the government could have messed up and put Guyana in a worse place than it already is during such a meeting.
Jagdeo could not give possible specific areas, but said that he does not underestimate the government’s ability to “mess things up.”
Jagdeo said that he would have liked to meet with the visiting team but was not invited which is contrary to a custom which has been upheld by foreign delegations visiting the country.
Since Jagdeo’s presser, government agencies have sent out missives giving insight to what the meeting was about.
President David Granger was quoted describing the meeting as a “fact finding mission.” (See related story on page 16)
Government said that a number of issues were discussed and areas of cooperation were explored.
According to government, the team, which was headed by Republican Bob Goodlatte, included Republicans Steve Cohen, John Rutherford, Scott Peters, Mark Sanford, Richard Hutson and Tod Rokita and other officials.
Vice President and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Carl Greenidge and Minister of State, Mr. Joseph Harmon were also present in the meeting.
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