Gratitude for American help but real help would be meaning

Jan 30, 2022 Editorial

Kaieteur News – We carried a news story last week of a helping hand from America in an important area for which this country can only be thankful. It was titled, “U.S. eager to help Guyana with oil spill plan, but silent on full coverage insurance from oil companies” (KN January 24). Again, we need the help which we are lacking, and we are grateful that the U.S. has signalled its readiness to assist us. We are troubled, however, by the limit of American help with this oil spill plan mentioned. We make clear our thinking, on this issue of “full coverage insurance.”
Guyana wants it, Guyana needs it, and Guyana must have it. There is so much needed, because of our glaring deficiencies with this oil, ranging from contract relief to insurance coverage. We need much help with overall management of this oil bonanza, and such support from the United States is always looked upon favourably. To be frank, the help offered now falls short. A comprehensive and robust oil spill plan is a good start, but it is not enough, far too short of what worried Guyanese expect. On the other hand, American assistance with obtaining “full insurance coverage” would be way better, of much more substance. It means a huge outlay of funds for such coverage with respected underwriters, and which bill Exxon should be footing. But on this, America is carefully silent.
It could be said that that is a matter best left to the contractual parties to finalise, meaning, Guyana and Exxon. For it is private enterprise and a commercial engagement and transaction. Thus, it makes sense for America to stand on the sidelines, remain silent, and let the parties settle this full coverage insurance issue between themselves. There is some difficulty with this, and on several counts.
To begin with, America was neither hesitant nor distant during the recent much disputed elections interval here. Its officials did not take a hands-off or silent approach then, in what was, by any definition, an internal matter. Operating under the banners of democracy and free and fair, America was aggressive and applied pressure at crucial moments. We agree with the attitudes and efforts of the Western superpower that were visible and audible then. Using that time and those energies as baselines, we must register our sharp disagreement with the suddenly cool and neutral public posture of America with this full coverage insurance that this country needs, not only for our protection in the event of a disaster, but also for our peace of mind.
We will not be able to survive the consequences of a massive oil spill without such insurance, and all our oil wealth could be history, evaporated.
Also, the record has taught us that Exxon’s have long enjoyed a special relation with the White House and the State Department. The company is so powerful, that from Lee Raymond to Rex Tillerson and those before and after, have had immediate access to and the ear of the President or the Secretary of State. It is a two-way street since Exxon is a spearhead of America’s power in many parts of the world from the Caspian Sea to Africa to South America. It follows, therefore, that the President of the United States and the U.S. Secretary of State have more than minimal influence with the leaders of Exxon. Yet, the gentle arm twisting and the persistent moral suasion relative to what could be constructive, progressive, and protective to the interests of Guyana have not been forthcoming publicly.
We weigh this against what occurred before. Americans of reach and strength from the resident Ambassador to the then Secretary of State, to the Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs were on bright display during our controversy filled elections. They made known their displeasure in no uncertain terms. It was necessary then, and we think that it is definitely necessary now, with Exxon balking and Guyana running out of options, and nowhere to go. This is one of the areas that we urgently need American help, and we need it now. America was zealous before during our thorny elections, it cannot be on the fence now.

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