Striking the right chords

Aug 30, 2020 Features / Columnists, News, The Story within the Story

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The Story Within The Story…

By Leonard Gildarie

Friday was a day that brought our feet back squarely on the ground. Whether we like it or not, the world is a small village and we are all connected.
Two years ago, a mad wave covered the world with the airing of Marvel’s Black Panther. The kids loved the make-believe world of Wakanda and Chadwick Boseman and Guyanese-born Letitia Wright became instant celebrities.
For his role, the US-born Boseman earned $2M. The movie made over $1.3B at the box office.
On Friday, at a tender age of 43, yes tender, the world was shocked with the announcement that Boseman died of colon cancer.
One could not help reflect on the fragility of our existence. Is our life about us and how happy we make ourselves? Is it about the joy we bring to others? Somebody said we pass this life but once. That we should make it count.
One of my weaknesses has always being too emotionally involved in what I do. I immerse my being and refuse to sleep until it gets done. I love to see the happiness in people. My body would rebel after.
Our leaders should understand too clearly that the Bosemans of the world also do it because they love it. It is not only about the spotlight. It is about using the forum to raise awareness. To inspire. To bring happiness.
We look to Guyana because it is our world. The Irfaan Ali government is but a few weeks old. It is faced with some tough decisions. There will be missteps.
However, perhaps some of the biggest decision recently that made Guyana sit up was the attention to ExxonMobil and its deal with Guyana. One and Two developments were all hurried. In fact, yesterday, Kaieteur News reported that one year after rushing to sign the lopsided Stabroek Block Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) with ExxonMobil, the Coalition administration allowed the company’s Liza Phase One permit to be approved on the same day the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) received the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for the project.
The report was over 1,500 pages. The disclosures were made by international lawyer, Melinda Janki.
In a statement to the press, Janki said she is one of the lawyers representing former Transparency International Guyana Inc. (TIGI) Head, Dr. Troy Thomas, in a lawsuit against the EPA.
Earlier last week, former oil advisor to the administration, Jan Mangal, made it clear that Guyana has a strategic opportunity to force Exxon to strike a better deal.
Whether we call it a review, a renegotiation, or whatever, there must be a recognition that we have the opportunities.
The government seems to be singing the right tune and striking the right chords.
It has reached out across the political divide and retained former Foreign Minister Carl Greenidge and went to Trinidad for oil and gas expert, Anthony Paul.
Also on board on the advisory panel for local content is former TT energy minister, Kevin Ramnarine.
I like that we are willing to look to where the experts are coming from. We need all hands on deck. The people are complaining.
As owners of the oil and our other natural resources, including our gold, bauxite and timber, it is acceptable that we would want our fair share.
Why would anyone want someone to walk in our backyard and offer us a pittance when we own the lands and water?
Why should we sit on hands and say nothing when we continue to live in poverty?
The people voted for a new government to take action.
We will not countenance actions, which merely placates an angry populace.
Rather, the actions now must translate into meaningful changes…we need to see more dollars.
It is unthinkable that we have to be begging for a few millions here and there to fight COVID-19 when we have billions sitting in our backyards.
The questions that have to be asked also are the presence of foreign investors and what they are bringing to the table.
We have GTT here and taking hundreds of millions each month from our people.
Yet, the internet, based on growing complaints, and the rolling out of services for new areas, remain dismally poor.
GTT remains a slap in the face of the people of Guyana. We deserve much more and I make no apologies for this.
We have to do better. We must do better.
The government must understand that there is a hungry populace looking for a better life and we know that we have the resources and potential to make it happen.
The decisions are being made. It should not be seen as window dressing or good public relations. I like the energy by the ministers who we have interacted with so far. There are looking for solutions. They are talking the right language. Let’s see where this goes.

(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper.)

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