We have been placed under the sword of Damocles by successive regimes

Sep 28, 2020 Features / Columnists, Letters

DEAR EDITOR,
I wonder how many Guyanese read the front page comment in KN, Saturday 26th Sept – “ The Ali administration has sold out.”
This article is a factual masterpiece that by all means should leave a bitter taste in the mouths of all Guyanese on both sides of the divide.
Whilst the APNU+AFC Leaders riled up a racial storm over the gruesome murders of two black youths, forcing the larger half of the populace to go on the defensive everyone’s attention was diverted from the big picture, the picture that concerns the future of us all – the resource offshore – the PAYARA oilfield FDP that Exxon was actively pursuing the Government to sign. Whilst we were busy rubbing our shoulders together as a symbol of unifying the country and the Government showing intent on its promises to reopen the closed sugar estates, the Government was secretly preparing to pull the money rug from under our feet by signing away “PAYARA”.
This was the last and biggest bargaining chip (45 wells producing 220,000 BPD) to correct the giveaway by APNU+AFC of the Lisa One and Two fields.
After the lopsided contract was signed for Lisa one, Trotman had said that we needed a strong partner in light of the Venezuelan aggression, hence the sweetheart deal to Exxon and that better contracts would be sought in the future. Lo and behold! Lisa two was signed under the same arrangement.
This time it’s not APNU+AFC but the people’s truly PPP/C, after saying two weeks ago, that it would not be pressured into signing Exxon’s “PAYARA” FDP that is selling out. The caption, “ The Ali administration has sold out”, could not have been more fitting. Natural resource Minister, Vickram Bharrat, said the agreement would be made public a week after signing. Does that matter? This country is crying out for constitutional reform for true representation of the people!
Money matters aside, let’s think of the environment. Expert Melinda Janki said that PAYARA’s, 45 wells, two miles underwater, highly pressurized is the most dangerous oil project on the planet. A blow out could see a spill reaching Venezuela and the entire Caribbean, wiping out our fisheries resources and forcing us to pay compensation more than the value of our share of the resource offshore.
The petty fines set by the EPA for Exxon to pay for flaring and produced water is all a hoax to divert from the big picture – an accidental oil spill.
Our Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) agreement signed with Exxon is languishing for a change to make Exxon liable to pay compensation for an accidental oil spill. Until this happens, we can safely say that we have been placed under the sword of Damocles by successive regimes.
Yours respectfully,
Rudolph Singh

Latest News

We have been placed under the sword of Damocles by successive regimes

Related

Similar Articles

The Glenn Lall Show|| February, 14th, 2025

Follow on Tik Tok @Glennlall

THE BLUNT OF THE DAY

Sports

Slingerz FC shines at Guyana Energy Conference and Youth Forum

Guyana’s rising Chess stars take on Barbados

Elite clubs will challenge KFC monopoly on team...

Bristol named manager as Guyana gears up for 2025...

BCB puts a halt to cricket season due to...

Changes made to KMTC Phagwah Horse race meet

Features/Columnists

The clock and the cloud

CARICOM Nations Should Respond Together To new U.S. Policies

Wood snake year

Publisher’s Note

Weekend Cartoon

Bridge Watch

Demerara Harbour Bridge

> Berbice Bridge […]

We have been placed under the sword of Damocles by successive regimes

Share this:

Related

Similar Articles

The Glenn Lall Show|| February, 14th, 2025

Follow on Tik Tok @Glennlall

THE BLUNT OF THE DAY

Sports

Features/Columnists

Publisher’s Note

Weekend Cartoon

Bridge Watch

Demerara Harbour Bridge

> Berbice Bridge […]