The Vice President is more focused on saving Exxon than working for Guyana

Oct 06, 2020 Letters

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Dear Editor,

I read of how the Hon. Vice President strenuously seeks to suppress the fallouts from the recent Payara license signing. Though characteristic of the man, his defences are a far cry from the colossal weights that he used to bring to the fields of contradiction and conflict.

The Hon Vice President, as the record attests, can be impatient and intolerant when crossed; when not getting his way, he can be imperturbably intransigent. He has eliminated resistance in more ways than one, through direct confrontations and challenges and taking the fights to foes, who had intended to hobble him, or to render him vulnerable, or to turn him upside down. He had prevailed mainly because he held all the cards then as the one who called all the shots, had control of all the information, and had made all the overpowering moves. Today, the table is turned on the Vice President, with the shoe on the foot of those, who clash with strength against him. Now he does not appear as honorable as he should.

Guyana’s Vice President is learning what the first U.S. Vice President under Franklin Roosevelt, James Nance Garner, who memorably described the second in command office held as “not worth a bucket of warm piss.” I trust that I will be pardoned for sharing Mr. Garner’s inelegant language. But that is precisely what Guyana’s own Vice President is holding with his less than spirited, less than stirring, defence of the Payara license approval. What our Vice President has in his hands and carries on his head is, indeed, a bucket of that same warm liquid. He may tell Guyanese it is I-Cee Lemon or stale beer, but no one is fooled.

This is not the former president that they know from just recently. This is not the man who took no prisoners, but now speaks of ‘wishful thinking’ as though he is more focused on saving Exxon than working for Guyana. What he wishes for is that Guyanese will not think along the lines required on their oil in general and leave Payara licensing alone specifically. The man who once forced others to bow before the force of his stridency, now takes a low bow with his feeble posturing. What vice is at work with our oil that the Hon. Vice President is aware of, but is now compelled to become a verbal ballerina pirouetting on toenails and giving the nation linguistic gyrations for arguments and defenses?

Moreover, the Hon. Vice President did not gain well-earned notoriety for being kind and gentle with those he came up against, especially where money matters were concerned. And yet, this is exactly how he was and what he did with the Payara licensing. He is making excuses for Exxon. He is presenting openings for Exxon to disappear into and keep the rich action rolling for engaged and enriched Guyanese partners. It is the unbelievable occurring, where Guyana’s own Vice President is defending Exxon and gave it a free pass with Payara.

Guyana’s oil prospects are so good that Exxon wanted it real bad. Exxon is in such a bad position that it would have given something, so that it would not have to do a lot worse without the plumed gem of Guyana’s proven oil promise in its production plans. The Vice President had to know this, yet he let the company off the hook, did not drive the hardest and cruelest of bargains when the opportunity was ripe: if our oil is wanted this bad, then do some good for Guyana.

In his oil dealings, the Vice President is an inexplicable shadow of his former self. This was his stage to prove himself that he is of and for Guyana first and alone. He did not. So, the questions that remain to be asked are these: who is he for with our oil? What is holding him back from charging ahead at full gallop? Why is he stumbling and bumbling with the childish and asinine in rationalizing the irrational? I would hate to think that the Hon. Vice President is protecting Exxon because there are things to hide. That he may be engaging in what is self-protecting. I remember that one from over a hundred years ago from U.S. Supreme Court Justice, Louis Brandeis, “sunlight is the best disinfectant.”

I think there is a lot to be dissected with Exxon and that Payara licensing. Some vice was involved and at an early and deep-seated level. Some disinfectant will help, and it is coming. Meanwhile, I encourage the Hon. Vice President to keep up the gamesmanship. Out of Christian kindness I caution him: too much of the believed fancy footwork that comes from constant rope skipping can come back to do more than haunt. The rope can hang. And what is happening with our oil is a hanging offence.

Yours truly,
GHK Lall

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