A caring government would ensure full coverage insurance is non-negotiable

Mar 10, 2022 Editorial

Kaieteur News – We repeat our position for emphasis. Any caring government would give its all to obtain full insurance coverage for its citizens, and for the added benefit of some protection and comfort for its neighbours. A government with such an unwavering mindset would work its hardest, push with all its strength to get the kind of full insurance coverage that makes the most sense for its peoples, their environment, their way of life, and that of those physically close to them. To make this clear, and how vitally important this is to the welfare and peace of mind of the citizens of a country, of any country, of this newly oil rich Guyana, a government that is really about the people and the interests of the country would pull out all the stops and leave everything on the field of combat and negotiate to get what it wants for its own.
Yet here we have leaders, who are perfect examples of doing little or nothing at all, on this perilous issue of full insurance coverage for Guyana in the instance of a disastrous oil spill. The President has done nothing but hem and haw, while the Vice President has been a study in artful dodging. The man with responsibility for the Natural Resources portfolio is not missing in action, he is non-existent, so invisible and inaudible is he. When these three men, these three crucial leaders, ought to be leading the fight for full insurance coverage for Guyana, they have settled for strategies and tactics that are nothing more than those of soldiers sworn to duty, who in the thick of a firefight drop their weapons, shed their boots, and beat a hasty, cowardly retreat.
Both the President and Vice President (we will be kind to the Natural Resources Minister in deference to his irrelevance and impotence and leave him out this time) should have signalled repeatedly every intention of complete readiness to give up an arm and a leg for the cause of full insurance protections for this country and all of its citizens. Instead, both would have none of that, and have indicated a preference to shake the hands (Exxon’s and Darren Woods’ and Alistair Routledge’s) that beat them into submission. Worse yet, rather than be willing to give a leg for full insurance protection, both of this country’s leaders have again gone in the opposite direction: they favour kissing the feet that kick them away from the table of discussion. The feet doing the kicking belong to those same names mentioned earlier.
Since this is the reality that must be faced about our leaders, not just on proper and complete oil spill insurance, but on everything related to prudent oil oversight and management, we have reached the point where expecting any sane and sensible protective actions from government leaders is now an absolute waste of time. Full insurance coverage seems to be outside the realm of consideration, given the chronic sicknesses of Guyana’s top leaders. They are sickly and anemic, where oil and full insurance are concerned.
When they should be fearless, they are frightened. When they should be strong because they are in the right, they make a living from representing this country’s interests in the wrong way. They had opportunity with the Payara project, and they surrendered. The President and Vice President had golden opening at the just concluded International Oil and Gas (Energy) Conference, and they bowed before Darren Woods. These are not national leaders; they are servants beholden to the commands of Exxon.
It is time that our leaders realize that we are owners of this oil, not part owners, but absolute owners. We are not tenants leasing an oil bloc, we own all those oil fields lock, stock, and barrel, and it is time that they start carrying themselves like real owners and not beggars. They must demand and get full insurance coverage now. Groveling on knees for a mere acknowledgement for US$2 billion coverage is not even a drop in the bucket. Get real, be real leaders. Do what is right for Guyana, not Exxon. Get full insurance coverage.

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A caring government would ensure full coverage insurance is non-negotiable

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