Exxon oil contract is an example of the big fish eat the little fish

Aug 20, 2020 Letters

Dear Editor,

No one would doubt the contract between Exxon and Guyana is one of domination and subordination, of strong versus weak, of big fish eating little fish. There is only one choice for the Guyana Government and that is to renegotiate the contract before signing the new Payara approval. Unless we do this, we can kiss the good life goodbye. I call on all Guyanese, sugar workers, farmers, RUSAL workers, civil society, the religious organizations, trade unions, chambers of commerce and business groupings, NGOs, and all patriotic Guyanese to unite and stand firm with President Ali and the new PPP government to renegotiate this draconian contract foisted on the nation by the previous government. I support the efforts of the team at the Oil and Governance Network (OGGN), www.oggn.org, spearheading a petition calling for renegotiation of the oil contract.
In a recent front page comment, Kaieteur News commented that “ExxonMobil’s attitudes and actions towards Guyana are prejudiced through and through. It cheated us with a rapacious contract and finalized terms that were full-out robberies. In their smug superiority, they dealt with us as inferior Third World natives. In its arrogance, Exxon talks down to locals, rushes them to get on with it, brushes them aside, then keeps them in line through oppressive measures. This is done to impoverished societies, while stealing their wealth and leaving them weaker than before.”
I find the Bible story of Dives and Lazarus (in Luke 16:19-31) to be a good portrayal of the unequal relationship between Exxon and Guyana: “There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day (Exxon). And at his gate lay a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who longed to satisfy his hunger with what fell from the rich man’s table; even the dogs would come and lick his sores (Guyana).” If we wait on a 2% royalty to add up to make a difference in our standard of living, it will take a very long time. We will not live to see it. We must demand at least a 15% royalty. We cannot be satisfied with crumbs falling from the Master’s table.
My Guyanese people, if we don’t support our government to take a strong stand for negotiation now, all will be lost forever. I urge you to sign the petition calling for renegotiation. Please go to
1) http://chng.it/hnHfXYJssK, or
2) https://www.change.org/Guyana_oil_contracts_need_renegotiation

Yours truly,
Dr. Jerry Jailall

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