Liza 1 Permit renewal – a failure on many fronts

Jun 02, 2022 Editorial

Kaieteur News– So, the Liza-1 Permit has been renewed. It is clear that the renewal was never in question- there was no danger from Guyana’s leaders, who come across as more and more compromised with every such development, more and more useless to the people of this country.

From all appearances, after all the strong leadership talk about doing better for Guyana, they failed. The Liza 1 Permit renewal was a foregone conclusion, a done deal, despite what voices from all over, local and foreign, were saying. Our leaders in the PPP/C Government failed us, when they allowed the renewal of the permit to pass by without so much as something of substance to show Guyanese for their efforts, the pressures they brought to bear on Exxon’s stubborn leaders. In fact, the senior people at Exxon did not even have to be stubborn, given how much they have Guyana’s leaders tied hand and feet and subject to their commands. There is the Government operating through the Environmental Protection Agency- the rubberstamp state agency, settling for something called “assurance” on full cover insurance in the event of a disastrous oil spill in our offshore oilfields. We must say that the PPP/C Government, through its vocal President and tragic figure of a Vice President, by their standards made progress. They did so when they were able to get Exxon to move from “acknowledgement” to this new creature called “assurance” about insurance.

Whatever that is, it is not worth the breath in which it was uttered, or the paper (if such exists) on which it was written. But this Liza 1 Permit renewal was the anvil on which Guyanese leaders, like blacksmiths, ought to have pounded Exxon into shape, to get at least the peace of mind for Guyanese that came from the protection enshrined in guaranteed full coverage insurance. If they can’t get that when they had the space to maneouvre, then it is becoming crystal clear that there is nothing of substance, little of meaning that leaders in this PPP/C Government can extract from Exxon for the benefit of Guyana. Our leaders are not only shameless to bring something like this so-called “assurance” to us, but they are also totally worthless to the present and future prospects of the citizens of this country.

The President and Vice President may be proud to shout about getting about a thousand Guyana dollars more as compensation from Exxon for its flaring of gas into the atmosphere from our oilfields. That US$5 is not a fraction of the tip that Exxon’s CEO Darren Woods or Country Head Alistair Routledge would leave for the bartender after a single round of drinks at their exclusive country clubs. It is not money that their golf caddies would accept but throw right back at them. Exxon’s bigwigs have every reason to celebrate the stooges they have working for them in Guyana, which would be national political leaders across the board, no party excepted.
It is on matters like these that we believe that the Leader of the Opposition should be hopping mad, up in arms, and rallying his people for the benefits that he keeps talking about that should come to them and other Guyanese. Rather sadly when there are these issues of the highest national importance, the Opposition is nowhere to be found, other than chasing after lost causes, and allowing its supporters to be distracted from what is material to their interests. It is at times like these, and on issues of this nature, that the local Opposition should be leading the way in applying pressure to the PPP/C Government to do right by Guyana. Except that it is silent and distant, or altogether missing in action.
Today, it is the Liza 1 Permit renewal and what could and should have been done, but was not; probably never contemplated in terms of what is better for Guyanese. On every conceivable front, this represents leadership failure of the worst kind involving every party and every leader. They have failed us before and then again on May 31st, and they will fail us again tomorrow whenever the next opportunity and the next challenge arise. Failures they are, and failures they will stay. Meanwhile, Exxon rejoices.

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