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The “buck” went further

Dec 05, 2019 Letters

DEAR EDITOR,

A confession by Minister Trotman,” I would be the first to admit that we should have done far better than we have done”, on Kaieteur Radio and featured in a KN article, “Govt. should have done far better with Exxon deal – Minister Raphael Trotman admits”, had a sole purpose. As the minister responsible for the PSA with Exxon, it was his condolesing way of saying we are sorry after wilfully “spilling the beans” on the Exxon PSA – an effort to bamboozled the public into believing that it was the best they could have done, given the circumstances. Purely election gimmicks!
On the question about the government’s reluctance to renegotiate the contract, Trotman held steadfast to the government’s first excuse – Context on Maduro decree in which he states that a horizontal line was drawn on a map depicting our continental shelf, to claim the Stabroek Block. Context on Venezuela’s claim to our territory has a historical perspective. Every Venezuelan president in the past had used Venezuela’s claim to Essequibo to rally popular support at home whenever it was deemed convenient. Surely! Our geriatric clan, having been around for ages would have known that! Maduro was just following in the footsteps of all the Venezuelan presidents that preceded him. Maduro desperately needed a line to inspire his supporters, Exxon finding oil in the Stabroek block presented an opportunity, hence his decree.
We are way past the age of conquest and captivity by Country over Country. Trotman’s statement – “We don’t have the military means to defend ourselves against an attack” and that “We needed a big friend” – to justify the give away to Exxon in the PSA is totally out of context. His statement seems to suggest that Exxon is some kind of mercenary organization, capable and prepared to bear arms in defense of our territory and as such, the inducement had to be in the PSA. If you are bamboozled by Trotman’s context explanation, your intelligence is pitiful!
Moving from remorse to his deranged context, Trotman goes on to the blame and praise game. Saying that he is no expert but he relied on the Geologist Dennison, head of GGMC and his team, praising them for doing a good job with what was available. How does this coincide with his confession, “we should have done far better than we have done?”
Gildarie of Kaieteur Radio never asked and Trotman never mentioned why the IDB consultant, Dr. Jan Mangal, labelled “presidential advisor on oil and gas” at that time, was never included in the Negotiating team. Was there any negotiation? Why would Trotman as the minister responsible to overlook the project sign a contract that prohibits him from visiting the site without notifying the contractors 7 days in advance? This and other asininities in the contract have led conspiracy theorists to believe that Exxon wrote the contract and used some form of inducement to get Trotman to sign.
There is a popular saying, “the buck stops at the minister”. Trotman said he did not act in isolation and that all decisions were taken to cabinet for their blessings. This is evidence that the “bucks” went further – their adamancy towards renegotiation is now understood.

Rudolph Singh

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