Latest update September 5th, 2026 10:33 AM
Aug 29, 2020 News
By Kiana Wilburg
Chartered accountant, attorney and anticorruption advocate, Christopher Ram, is of the firm conviction that the President of ExxonMobil, Alistair Routledge, was totally out of place when he recently threatened Guyana, a sovereign state, by asserting that the oil giant will take its investments elsewhere if it does not get its way with the Payara Field Development Plan (FDP).
Ram said it was improper for him to go public with what essentially constitutes a threat while adding that such arrogance and disrespect would not be tolerated by Guyanese.
He explained, “It is disrespectful for a company to treat a sovereign country like this. I don’t think that kind of approach is going to succeed with Guyana. Also, I really don’t think it is in Exxon’s interest, and its partners, to behave as arrogant as the President of ExxonMobil did.”
The Chartered Accountant said it is clear that ExxonMobil wants Guyana in the same position it had the APNU+AFC in 2016 where it got what it wanted in the Stabroek deal and more, on a platter. He said that some of the things it got were also illegal, “but it can’t be the same, Guyana won’t tolerate that nonsense anymore.” The attorney-at-law believes that the PPP/C administration should write Routledge and express its displeasure with his “not so cleverly disguised threat to a sovereign country.” Ram stressed the new government cannot allow itself to be bullied on the first possible occasion by Exxon. “Guyanese will not accept that,” he added.
It seems that the approval by the government for the FDP is being held up over concern for two key environmental issues.
The first matter relates to flaring. ExxonMobil wants to keep the loopholes it got in its Liza One and Two permits which allowed for flaring while the other matter pertains to the dumping of toxic water in the ocean from the company’s operations.
Guyana’s Environmental Protection Agency has been opposed to allowing the multi-national to have its way on these critical issues. Since these matters have been exposed in the media, ExxonMobil declared that it could take its investments elsewhere.
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

Sep 05, 2026
2026 Republic Bank CPL… GAW vs. JKM at Providence – Hetmyer, Hope, Dindyal lead batting charge (Kaieteur News) – Guyana Amazon Warriors announced their arrival home with a brutal 8-wicket...Sep 05, 2026
(Kaieteur News) – Deep in the Himalayas, I once visited a Hindu guru and asked him, “Guru, how should I schedule my day?” He looked at me for a moment, smiled, and asked, “What is it that you want to schedule?” “My day,” I replied. “I want to organise my time better. There is so...Aug 30, 2026
By Sir Ronald Sanders (Kaieteur News) – For generations, Kenscoff was where people from Port-au-Prince went to breathe. Its cool hills offered relief, and its farmers supplied the capital’s markets. Gang attacks reached the commune in January 2025, but it remained an important barrier between...Sep 05, 2026
(Kaieteur News) – What to make of this America-Venezuela oil deal, this best in history? First, it’s best to put the 65 billion barrels of heavy crude in its proper place. It’s the Donny and Delcy Gong Show. A quarter of Venezuela’s premier national treasure, a concealed deal, a very...Freedom of speech is our core value at Kaieteur News. If the letter/e-mail you sent was not published, and you believe that its contents were not libellous, let us know, please contact us by phone or email.
Feel free to send us your comments and/or criticisms.
Contact: 624-6456; 225-8452; 225-8458; 225-8463; 225-8465; 225-8473 or 225-8491.
Or by Email: glennlall2000@gmail.com / kaieteurnews@yahoo.com