The inaudibility of the US envoys and plenipotentiaries at this time is perplexing

Jan 15, 2019 Letters

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DEAR EDITOR,

The US has been mighty quiet of late. Too quiet and tellingly so. In spite of a lot of watchful interest (definitely concern) relative to political developments in Guyana, there has been almost nothing issuing forth from the Americans. While the Canadians have some answers pending, and the British are diplomatically correct, the US envoys and plenipotentiaries and their pivotal pronouncements have been muted to the point of inaudibility, if not indecipherability. Looking around, this perplexes.
A quick superficial survey provides a snapshot that is alternately pregnant with possibilities and implications; while, in the next instance, it perpetuates a history that either comforts or repels locals, depending on which side of the dance floor is occupied.
In this country, it is a two-boom box affair, and each with their own lyrics and chants that energize and electrify. The survey reveals that the main man Maduro in neighbouring Venezuela just got roundly condemned, almost unanimously in the region, for his power grab that reinforces a leftward tilt. From all accounts, it is a hard left. One side of the domestic dance floor that is preparing, waiting, and anticipating in Guyana is of the left, too. It is not of a soft putty variety. For the sake of clarity, left is today’s deliberate synonym of choice for purpose of subtlety. But no one should be unenlightened.
Now Venezuela has an abundance of oil. Despite a recent upward adjustment of its reserves by the powerful Saudi Arabians, the largest proven quantity still belongs to the Venezuelans. Meanwhile, Guyana’s own discoveries keep mounting, exciting, and stupefying. Natives, that is. Taken together, this is a world of oil right here in the Americas, with much of it in leftist hands, and the specter of some of the rest following, since there are some with sharp heavy axes (already grinded) to wield against the Northern powerhouse. There is the smell of much trouble in the air. Hence, there is some perplexity (though recognition) regarding American silence.
As if the immense South American oil reserves and their political control are not unsettling enough, there is the rising Russian Bear. The Russians are now the commanding and controlling figure in OPEC. OPEC requires neither handshake nor preamble by way of introduction. Nor does the judoka who dominates the Kremlin. That apparatus is over there (hint: don’t rule out the local one). When added together, matters coalesce to this: OPEC plus Venezuela plus Guyana could equal a leftward, left-sided, left-handed world. In total, representative of not just grounds for quarrels; but alarming to a frightening degree. To repeat: that which is unprecedented and unparalleled for Guyana in terms of promise, holds exactly the same with respect to peril.
The creeping oil realities foster grim, if not disastrous, economic and superpower imbalance. The potential for dislocations and dominance would make prior OPEC actions look like cheap ransoms, real financial and social chicken feed. Because for the first time in the century that was the Petroleum Age, the oil scales point to a slipping away from the hegemony of the West. Read America.
It is why little, long ignored Guyana and its geography and black gold finds assume intensifying significance. This should not be minimized. There is sure to be concern if this country were to go anywhere but rightward. Even some form of a centre would be found acceptable and legitimate. Reality has to be faced: despite strides in electric-powered vehicles and diversification efforts, the trillion-dollar oil industry would take more than a decade to dismantle and replace. Oil is still here, still king.
All things considered, a crack in the political armor here would help. A little cold shower of reality is needed to douse some of the election fevers (already at delirium pitch in these youthful days) and to rush citizens to their senses and some semblance of sanity. Call it real world, big power politics, muscle, and the influence that comes with that.
The silence of the Americans becomes ominous; it could also be meaningful, the point and counterpoint of dissecting and weighing every grain, every option. What will work? How to approach? What to neutralize or manage or turn? In all of this, Guyana cannot represent a whiff of anything left leaning. There is too much of a preponderance of in that direction already. The middle of the road, as in the two ends blending is what hangs over the national head. Like it; work towards it; accept it. Not else is permissible.

Sincerely,
GHK Lall

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