Latest update November 29th, 2024 1:00 AM

Guyana's largest selling daily and New York's most popular weekly

Latest News

Vice President and possible US$2B payment, acting Chancellor on the attack, and curfew farce now official

Nov 07, 2021 News, The GHK Lall Column

By GHK Lall

Kaieteur News – I must hand it to the Vice President: he is a real smooth operator; at least, he thinks so. Guyanese have been clamouring for oil insurance in the event of a spill, full insurance coverage, and nothing else. Now up comes the VP with his latest oil-slicked rabbit. He is working for US$2 billion in lieu of full insurance coverage. What a character! I can hear the drumbeat in the press, and all over the campaign trail about that US$2 billion. But I am disturbed and warn my fellow Guyanese, gullible ones usually taken in by the Vice President’s cards up his sleeve.
On the face of it, US$2 billion instead of full insurance coverage sounds like a lot of money, and a great work of partnering with Exxon. It is not! The Vice President gets to emphasise to Guyanese how hard he worked, how much he got, and that it is much better than the PNC did. I have some trouble digesting such sweetness from the Vice President, and for the simple reason that most things from his fevered mind, and which have his fingerprints, have openings for a heap of trouble for Guyana.
The first thing that comes to mind is how Exxon is going to fork over those funds. Wherever it goes, it looks like a rich, juicy piece of collateral/asset that could be used (and will be) for any kind of political leadership pipe dream, which means borrowings. Second, because I hold Exxon’s leaders and Guyana Government leaders in the lowest esteem, I can visualise that Exxon and the Vice President make a big splash with handing over that US$2 billion to Guyana, while the company already has figured out a way to bill this country for it. For emphasis: BILL GUYANA FOR THE US$2 BILLION PAID IN PLACE OF FULL INSURANCE COVERAGE.
Exxon has a guarantee that whatever billions in bills it dumps on Guyana will be approved by the PPP Government, and I am convinced that Exxon will conceal that US$2 billion most cleverly. At the rate of a couple hundred million American dollars a year, the whole sum would be recovered in about a decade. In other words, we are paying for that US$2 billion, and still without insurance coverage. I always tell my fellow citizens: if there is interest in getting to the bottom of the sleights of hand of political leaders, start thinking like a thief, a serial crook. For those are whom we have had here before, and have today. Having been around Wall Street sharks and sleazebags for decades, some of the best/worst in the world, I can recognise scamps and vagabonds in the local governance machinery when I see them. Amateurs, they are.
Curiously, the encouragement came from the acting Chancellor of the Judiciary, who came out swinging against critics. She stands on good grounds: many cases, very few judges. It is said that the best defense is a strong offense, and that was what the acting chancellor dished out. She let one counsel have it where it is sure to burn – in the pocketbook. Counsels must stop taking on more than they can handle, and have clients running around, and the courts subject to their ongoing manoeuvres to buy time. In the instances of Messrs. Maurice Arjoon and Kent Vincent, both of whom I know well, a litany of injustices has been part of their ordeals. Enough with these endless delays. Get it over with, let justice prevail. Finally, relative to the courts, I am pleased that Justice Dawn Gregory-Barnes, also someone I know, recused herself. This is a small society, where everybody knows everyone else and, sometimes, not for the best of reasons, with overtures made; or the likelihood of suspicious relationships and related activity deepening. More judges and magistrates, as the occasions suit, should follow her example, and step aside.
Last, I am glad that the Government made the curfew farce official with the latest reduction in nighttime hours. Its grasping private sector constituency just received another payback. Meanwhile, poor, observant citizens face the music and dangers.
Remember: get vaccinated.
(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper.)

Similar Articles

The Glenn Lall Show | November, 20th, 2024

Follow on Tik Tok @Glennlall

 

THE BLUNT OF THE DAY

Sports

Guyana Beverages Inc. partners with GFF for Maid Marian Wheat Up Women’s Cup

Guyana Beverages Inc. partners with GFF for Maid Marian Wheat Up...

Nov 29, 2024

  (GFF) — Guyana Beverages Inc (GBI) in an effort to contribute to the development of women’s football has partnered with the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) as a sponsor of the Maid Marian...
Read More
GFF provides support to EBFA U14 Boys’ League

GFF provides support to EBFA U14 Boys’ League

Nov 29, 2024

Athletics scores big at NSC National Sports Awards

Athletics scores big at NSC National Sports

Nov 29, 2024

St. Theresa’s Primary triumph in Republic Bank ‘Five for Fun’ National Finals

St. Theresa’s Primary triumph in Republic Bank...

Nov 29, 2024

Wakenaam Masters to face Parika Defenders in T20 softball affair on Saturday night

Wakenaam Masters to face Parika Defenders in T20...

Nov 29, 2024

Bakewell supports Kashif and Shanghai Futsal tourney

Bakewell supports Kashif and Shanghai Futsal...

Nov 28, 2024

Features/Columnists

Publisher’s Note

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: [email protected] / [email protected]

Weekend Cartoon

Bridge Watch

Demerara Harbour Bridge

> Berbice Bridge […]