Citizens demand Exxon pays fair share of taxes

Mar 11, 2022 News

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…as protest against lopsided contract moves to High Court

Kaieteur News – Scores of Guyanese on Thursday showed their support for the challenge to the tax exemptions granted to ExxonMobil as the historic case filed by Kaieteur News’ Publisher, Glenn Lall commenced in the High Court.

In January, KN’s publisher, through his attorney, Mohamed R. Ali, filed an action in the High Court, which outlined that the tax reliefs listed under Article 15.1 of the Petroleum Agreement, dated June 27, 2016, between the Guyana Government and the oil companies, violate the Petroleum Exploration and Production Act, the Financial Administration (and Audit) Act, the Prevention of Discrimination Act, and the Constitution. In this case, Lall is seeking declarations to have the provisions nullified and reversed.
The protesters who were joined by Article 13 member, Dr. Yog Mahadeo yesterday gathered with their placards in front of the Court demanding that the oil companies must pay their taxes just like the ordinary Guyanese. Dr. Mahadeo in an invited comment told this publication that what is happening right now, with the Government versus the citizens is unfair and it is the saddest thing he has witnessed in history of Guyana. “I support this case and unfortunately on this day in Guyana’s history, it is Exxon, the Attorney General, and the Government versus the people of Guyana. We have reached this stage where it is the people that put them in power that they have taken us to court, to fight against us and that is the most unconscionable thing and the saddest event I would say in our 55 years of history,” he said.
“Now show me one Guyanese, ordinary Guyanese that doesn’t pay taxes. We all have to pay taxes, why should we the taxpayers still pay taxes for Exxon. So it is a fundamental flaw that any government can agree or want to give Exxon the freedom, produce, rape, do want you want to do to the country. The government is saying that this contract is assigned, it’s a done deal, let the court determine that. You are a party to the contract; the government is a party to the contract, they can’t say that this contract cannot be challenged…”
Sharing similar sentiments as Dr. Mahadeo was an 80-year-old woman who said that the government is not being fair to its people. The elderly woman who requested anonymity stated that, “the Government is supporting ExxonMobil instead of the citizens and that is wrong. What they are doing is against the constitution and we have to change that contract because this is only one of the wrongs, the contract has to be changed, and Jagdeo is a public servant, he has no right to refuse to change it when we the Guyanese people want it changed. They are all public servants; we put them there,” she argued.
Another protester, Ray Dodgers who hails from High Dam, Mahaicony, East Coast Demerara said: “we are just here to let everyone knows that we are questioning the legality of this government allowing ExxonMobil to get away without paying taxes.” Dodgers added “I think as Guyanese, we should all come together and let them know that slavery was abolished hundreds of years ago and we are not going to sit by and let leaders sell us out back to colonial masters, because right now that what it is all about.”
Lending his voice at the protest was Head of the Movement of Civil Unity, Odo Best who stated that he came out to fight for what is rightfully his and his fellow citizens. “We have decided to join this movement as it is a critical movement not only for us but for the entire population because our future is at stake,” he disclosed. “We are not asking anyone for anything that belongs to them; we are asking for what belongs to us, our natural rights. We should fight for it,” Best expressed.
Another woman who shared that she had lost her job a couple months back told this publication that one of the reasons she decided to join the protest is to demand for her rights and for a better royalty and that, “ExxonMobil must not get the most in this country.” “Come on, let these people do the same thing just like how we have to do it when we collect our payslip; we see so much money deduct for taxes. Let them do the same, when they collect their payslip, they must see so much money deduct for taxes. They need to do these things,” she noted.
Two other women, Kaloutie Mohabir and Krishna said that they are taking a stand because they too want a good life for them and their families. The women stated that not only has the pandemic been a challenge but also the cost of living has increased. Peter Parahoo, a 55-year-old from Diamond, East Bank Demerara said that for years he has been out of a job. Parahoo who worked as a miner is pleading with the leaders of the country to not turn a blind eye at the situation that is happening in the country. He said that he too has a family to feed and that the government should seek a better deal for the country at which the citizens can benefit from what is rightfully theirs.

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