EPA to Exxon: keep moving, don’t bother stopping; Russia not moving for Venezuela in Guyana border controversy; and H.E. Ali re packaging plant - only moving, not selling

EPA to Exxon: keep moving, don’t bother stopping; Russia not moving for Venezuela in Guyana border controversy; and H.E. Ali re packaging plant – only moving, not selling

Mar 13, 2022 Features / Columnists, The GHK Lall Column

Encouraging Events, Disturbing Developments…

By GHK Lall

Kaieteur News – All three of the issues identified above possess the disturbing about them. I think most Guyanese would be similarly uneasy. The troubling facts follow.
Exxon was kind enough – honest also – to give Guyana a gift. In documents submitted to Guyana’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the company did a rare, good deed. It presented the truth and spoke in carefully balanced language about the potential dangers involved in its 12-well drilling campaign in the Canje Block. In Exxon’s own words: “The potential impacts, which are expected to be similar to impacts identified in previous exploration/appraisal drilling Environmental Assessment and Management Plans in the Canje, Kaieteur, and Stabroek Blocks, could be directly and/or indirectly generated by the Project during drilling and/or abandonment, and such impacts could be adverse or positive in nature.”
Exxon was wise enough to speak to both sides of the risk coin, through hedging that impacts could be “adverse or positive…” At the very least, given such early warning, one would have thought that the EPA would want to know a little more about what such “adverse” impacts could represent, and to share them with interested and/or worried citizens. Instead, Guyana’s EPA stepped aside obediently with the clearance of no Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) needed, in yet another inexplicable collapsing by the agency’s people when the interests of Guyanese are at stake.
We have seen what the fate of segments of our fishing sector has been, but it is still full speed ahead to clear the way for Exxon. This is not two or three wells, but a dozen of them, with the opportunity for the EPA to gain much-needed insights in what are the extents of its responsibilities. But another opportunity to manage the Exxon juggernaut better is overlooked. We are unable to keep pace with Exxon’s current operations, unlearned regarding all the components of its offshore activities, yet we could not be more casual and unconcerned. It disturbs how we cheat ourselves, when the EPA bows to the dictates of corrupt government leaders and engage in these approvals (sellouts and betrayals) of Guyana’s gifts. When developments that mean much to Exxon present themselves for bargaining by Guyana, the best Guyanese agents and leaders can do is betray us still more.
On the Venezuelan front, the word is that Russia will not move for our covetous neighbour in this century long border controversy. Any Guyanese who trusts that position should be whipped with the cat. Russia has billions invested in Venezuela, is counted as a staunch ally of Nicholas Maduro, has aided in sanction busting, and there are those proven oil reserves. In short, Russia has way more involved in Venezuela than Guyana, and could stand to lose out in this developing Great Game South. Public posture notwithstanding, I believe that, should push come to shove, Russia will lean more towards our neighbour than Guyana. Guyanese should not forget, nor mislead themselves with a false sense of confidence and security, about what the Russians say. After all, Ukraine is not war, but a ‘Special Military Operation.’ It takes a special magician to come up with that one. Incidentally, Putin’s War has now come to Guyana. Guyanese consumers better get ready for gas prices, and the GPL. Market forces, folks; none should need an education about the disturbing cascading effects on local cost-of-living.
Last, there was the President, Guyana’s self-satisfied political word wizard. His latest creation rabbit is that the Enmore packaging plant is only moving, not selling. As I absorb this stirring presidential comedy moment, I recall those timeless words of an American general during the 1950s Korean War. It was Marine General Oliver P. Smith, who said after leading the American fallback from Chosin Reservoir, “Retreat, hell we’re not retreating, we’re just advancing in a different direction.” As I read the latest in the packaging plant soap opera from the President, I detected the same playing around with circumstances, while playing mind games with his followers. Guyanese with any brain cells still left, listen to their leader and have a long laugh.
(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper.)

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EPA to Exxon: keep moving, don’t bother stopping; Russia not moving for Venezuela in Guyana border controversy; and H.E. Ali re packaging plant – only moving, not selling

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