Caribbean voices concerned about Guyana’s oil plans

Dec 20, 2021 Editorial

Kaieteur News – The foreigners are raising their voices, and they will not be denied. They are not from America or Europe, but from this region.
Our fellow citizens in the Caribbean Region are worried, some from as far away as Jamaica, others as near as Trinidad, with some others dotted on some of the islands in between. They have a problem with what Guyana is doing with, and how it is going about, its oil business. It is that Yellowtail Project, which has caused so much controversy and consternation right here.
Groups in the countries named above and from other societies are highly concerned about potential fallout from this much-talked about, plagued-from-the-beginning with dispute Yellowtail Project. An oil spill wouldn’t be confined to just Guyana but could spread to their countries and seriously harm them. From their environment to their economics, from their standard of life to the kind of life they shudder to contemplate, in the event of a catastrophic oil spill.
Guyana has agriculture and forestry and mining sectors, all huge and rich, upon which to fallback in the instance of a disaster and keep going. Our brothers and neighbours in the region have mainly one industry, one product, and not much more that could help them to manage at some level. They have tourism, which means their seas and their beaches, all natural and beautiful, and much in demand.
Take that away, or tamper with that in some distinctive and measurable way, and they are left gasping for breath. It is as serious and possibly as existential for those whose way of living and standards are largely dependent upon Tourism (with a capital ‘T’), and all its associated opportunities. In passing, we mention their fishing trade, which is sure to be negatively impacted by a spill from the oil wells that are part of Guyana’s Yellowtail Project.
They don’t appreciate how Guyana’s oil partner, Exxon, has proceeded with this sensitive and crucial Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA). They have not been comforted by Exxon Consultant’s, Environmental Resources Management (ERM), failure to consult with them. They are angry that their concerns mean little, especially since the EIA document itself identifies the dangers that these countries beyond Guyana’s boundaries could encounter. Like we said earlier, a severe oil spill here could disrupt calamitously the present welfare and the future of our CARICOM brethren.
Now, because Caribbean citizens are known for their lack of passivity, and possess more of a warrior mentality, they are not going to sit calmly, and take this quietly. Since, they are outside of Guyana, both the PPP Government and Exxon cannot work their usual magic and cow them, divide them, or silence them.
They will not be intimidated by Guyana’s President’s blandness, its Vice President’s secrecies, or Exxon’s deceptions. This is serious stuff, where Caribbean citizens in many countries are crying out to be consulted, and be in the loop, because so much is involved for them.
As we see it, CARICOM will be caught in the middle, and is going to be called upon to take a stand, one way or another. As it is part of its role, CARICOM has been keenly watchful but quiet. The leaders of this regional body could find themselves dragged into what is escalating. Such is the uneasiness that is intensifying in many places. The voices raised c
annot be accused of partisanship since this is their corals and communities, their possible plights and the daunting prospects they are forced to contemplate. CARICOM would have to pronounce, at least say something.
We can see this going in still another direction, one that could be precedent setting. What we speak of is some agitated neighbour, some alarmed group, going to the CCJ. Those contemporaries are not going to accept dumbly and blindly whatever Exxon and ERM try to stuff down their throats.
They will not take kindly to any dismissive brush-off by Guyana’s oil wizard, its Vice President. What timid and divided Guyanese could not do, are hesitant to throw their full weight into, the Jamaicans and Trinidadians (and others from other places) are going to make their mission. They have no choice, for it is their present and future.

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Caribbean voices concerned about Guyana’s oil plans

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