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ICJ ruling, United Airlines COVID-19 midflight moment, Nigel Hughes, Guyanese fisherman, and a wish

Dec 27, 2020 Features / Columnists, The GHK Lall Column

>>> Encouraging Events, Disturbing Developments <<<

Kaieteur News – I trust that everyone had a healthy, peaceful, and joyful Christmas holiday.
Guyanese received some encouraging pre-Christmas news, which sets the stage for the New Year ahead. It was good to learn that the ICJ ruled that it has jurisdiction over the border controversy between Guyana and Venezuela. This over a century-old matter comforts from being in the capable hands of the ICJ. Though our neighbours are extremely unhappy with any ruling that is not for it, this is where Guyana has to pin its case and hopes, and a good start has been made with the issue of jurisdiction now settled.
It was with awe that I absorbed the story of one man, who during a United Airlines flight rushed to the aid of a fellow passenger displaying COVID-19 symptoms. This man, Tony Aldapa, (an EMT) didn’t think twice before hastening to perform CPR on a stricken traveller, despite being familiar with the risks. Unfortunately, the passenger died, and Mr. Aldapa has since come down with symptoms of the virus himself (New York Post – December 20). I hail this human being who showed us what the best in us require be done in times of crisis, even when strangers are involved. There is a lesson in self-sacrifice there for us, which should resonate in this season of Christmas.
Contrastingly, it was disturbing to absorb what was placed upon the head and put in the mouth of Nigel Hughes, via a Facebook development. I am always amazed at the lengths to which Guyanese will go to divide and distress, to menace the fragile racial peace that exists in this land. Some things should not be thought of, much less approached and then delivered into the public arena, where untold harms can result. Some of us, for wicked political purposes, like to experiment with fire. I am not concerned when those doing so are burned. What is ruffling is that the unassociated could be collateral damage for these rancid political antics.
The concern came from reading that Guyanese “commercial fishermen will lose access to some far-out fishing areas due to Payara project” (KN December 17). Exxon, however, has stated that the “impact on livelihoods will be negligible – EIA.” This company, which has a terrible environmental record, and dumps toxic wastewater in our seas, and still carefully denies climate change science, is essentially saying to Guyanese fishermen: trust us on this. The impact is negligible. This is the company, whose leaders extract every advantage for themselves by strangling the aspirations of Guyanese, and is brazen enough to assert that the “impact…will be negligible.” That is a bag of crock, and the company knows it. Run a few fishing boats repeatedly over an area and the catch diminishes before too long, because of the agitations from related activity. Now multiply that by a thousand fold from oil production efforts at the wells – the sonic effects, the turbulence, the disruptions – and Guyanese are being told the equivalent of: ‘doan tek worreez.’ This our partner! I urge Guyanese to think of these people as more of our predators: ferocious, ruthless, and devastating. The company disturbs and the Guyana government disturbs for falling for a line like that; and especially when the latest reports show Exxon flaring night and day. I do not trust anything that this oil supermajor says or does. Both endanger severely.
It is now timely to leave with a few wishes for my fellow Guyanese for 2021. I wish that our government will rise to the challenges of clean and inclusive governance. I think it can, if it really tries. I wish that our opposition would find itself and be a force to reckon with in the New Year. To all citizens: my wish is that it would be a better year than we had in 2020, that we can lift ourselves above what drags us down. To everyone: the best for the New Year.

(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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