GUYANESE THOUGHTS ON FIRST OIL

Jan 26, 2020 News

“If I can’t get a better deal for what is mine, then leaders must be sued”

Kerian Jaggernauth–University Student

“I am 21 years –old. I don’t know much about the oil industry or first oil. I just know that we get oil but I have learnt from the daily media that Guyanese will not benefit from the current Exxon Contract.
My friends and colleagues believe that there is no hope. Boat gone a falls and can’t come back. I strongly believe that the media is doing a great job in pointing out what needs to be done to get a better deal.
I am aware that some politicians are not in favour of renegotiating the contract. I don’t know why. But I believe that they should because the oil does not belong to them or the oil company. It belongs to we. Is we own.
Our leaders were elected by us to negotiate on our behalf and if they made a bad deal that’s fine. But if there are told what needs to be done and they deny to make a change then they must be sued. It is like this.
I inherited a business but I don’t know how to make deals so I hire an expert who knows. The first deal he made was poor and could run my company bankrupt. I call him and tell him that the deal he made is bad and disastrous for my company.
I point out what needs to be changed and sends him to renegotiate the deal. If he refuses I will fire him because I will be the one suffering from bankruptcy not him and if he refuses to be fired then a gun call de police fuh drag he out the building.”
This is why I believe that if our leaders refuse to make a better deal for us then legal actions must be taken against them”
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Wren Babb–Local barber
“Bai, I believe we getting something from this oil…We getting rob. You ain’t see Exxon get a whole ship with a million barrel. Watch wa we get a litre bottle. Fuh me first oil is a disappointment fuh nuff people.
Everybody talking bout we gon get rich but so far I still fighting fuh a dollar.”
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Wendy Austin–Secretary of the Guyana Conference of Seventh day Adventist
“I don’t feel the big hype about first oil. I mean you hear all this talk about Guyana gon get rich but I ain see nutin yet. I does hear people talk a lot about this oil that we get a bad deal. Suriname get a better deal than we. I don’t know much but it is kinda startling that Suriname get a better deal than we.
I am not against the government in any way. They have done some good and deserve credit. If a renegotiation is the way to go I would support that 100 percent cause its only fair that we get enough to atleast come out of poverty. I am a single parent and I struggle to make ends meet if a renegotiation cud mek my life better then I wud like that.”
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Anil –Vendor
I use to follow that oil ting but I don’t follow it no more. That ting bout first oil is a disappointment. Plus I feel we get disrespected. How Suriname could get more than we? Who is we? We stupidy or something? Plus let me tell yuh something we suppose to get more than Suriname.
Dem man come in we turf and trace de oil to Suriname. But dem can’t go in Suriname and dem suck out de oil. Dem gah pay dem man good. And we is dem eye pass. I don’t follow it up no mo because it does hut meh heart. I hear all dem tings bout them country suffering from oil curse and d people poor. Me ain want duh happen to me suh I gat different mind set.
I don’t depend on no oil money and wait fuh it. I gon sell and wuk hard every day fuh me dollar. If we get a better deal I would feel nice. But then again yuh gat to get transparency wid dem politicians.
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Avinash
“ Fuh me dis whole raw deal ting is because of corruption. You ain’t see Suriname signing bonus is US$100 million and we get US$18 million.
You could imagine we minister seh he thought it was a gift. What nonsense is that? He rite is a gift, a gift fuh he. Duh is pocket change fuh d Guyanese people. I am sure Suriname deh right now smiling with dem US$100 million. Dem probably done do something nice fuh de Suriname people.
We still deh waitin fuh see dis big money. I believe we can get a better deal but we gat to get rid of de corruption wha a tek place in dis place. Dem man get pay off because I can’t see you next door neighbour get something better and you sit down silent and smiling as if nothing bothering you.”
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Akash–Water seller
“Me nah follow up dem oil ting duh buddae. I good hay in me corner. I gah wuk hard cause all dem promises but oil money false. We ain get nun fuh get from the oil ting. De whole ting disappointing.
I know when yuh invest yuh money yuh does ga get it back but duh Suriname ting raise nuff questions. You could suggest a renegotiation but when that guh happen. I is done 50. Dem done seh we gun get rich, first oil cum and gone.
I still deh out hay in dis sun fightin fuh get a dollar. I would glad fuh dem get betta deal but at de rate how I see we moving I might dead by time we get a better deal. I only hope that meh grandchildren could cash in. but as it stands right now we ain getting nun and nutten fuh get.”
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