No improvement, no movement (oil); VICE News (VP); Elections COI (trouble)

Jun 26, 2022 Features / Columnists, The GHK Lall Column

Encouraging Events, Disturbing Developments

By GHK Lall

Kaieteur News – Whatever Guyanese say or write nowadays about oil inevitably revisits ground previously covered, since so much has been covered. Instead of looking back at what could have been, I prefer prioritising the prospects of what could be in approvals waiting to be granted. Specifically, they are projects five and six. The Government and its badly bruised Vice President have opportunities must do good for Guyana. Neither project should be approved without getting tangible improvement for Guyana. We must feel the material benefits in our hands that can be translated into meaningful money equivalents, and ahead of where we are now. Then we can say we are making inroads against the contract stranglehold that Exxon has over us.
The PPP Government must not fail us again by rolling over when these opportunities arrive. CEO John Hess, Exxon’s partner in crime, has already all but guaranteed his investors that the fifth project will be approved by year-end. He must know something that Guyanese don’t know. I claim no knowledge of what kind of hold the oil companies have over our leaders, or if such compromises them. But I do know that both government and Vice President, (and the Vice President is the Government) must obtain better for us. The Vice President can redeem himself from the Vice News and Su fiasco, which made him look pathetic and suspect, and this is with love in my heart for a brother who dug a hole for himself with these kinds of relationships and this style of governmental operation. As the leading local man of oil, the Vice President must make Messrs. Woods and Routledge pay for what Mr. Hess guarantees his own people. Our oil wizard has his own people waiting and looking to him to do well by them. Just like shareholders do of Hess. Guyana’s oil champion must get better in talks of approvals for projects five and six.
Like oil, much has been shared of the Vice President’s travails over the VICE News caper and his escapades with Mr. Su and such. It is his dark hour, and no amount of window dressing, disinfecting, and self-justifying by either the exposed leader or his shameless supporters will cleanse him of the stench. It stinks and its sticks. I am aware that he is still golden in the eyes of his own, and loses no standing, which says much of him, Guyana, and especially them. Regardless, I urge this weakened brother-damned by his own dodgy, crafty, words-to humble himself, seek counsel from above, come clean. He must listen to warnings given to him, because much more is known about him, and they are even worse. Leave alone the pitiful postures, surrender to a standard that speaks for itself, and which doesn’t deal with under the table practices, shadowy people. Such a standard would be about the ethical and honourable that I have tendered repeatedly. When those are there, there is no fear, no trembling, no hiding, no need at regrouping and defending by anyone, either self or others. One stands on one’s own feet. Try it, brother leader, and the results will follow and recommend to all, including assorted naysayers, critics, and skeptics. I would be encouraged to give this fellow Guyanese a boost, as needed.
So, we are going to have a Commission of Inquiry (COI) into the last elections. It is all that I can say of it, that we are going to have one. Because I can predict from now where that is heading. The 2020 Elections was a total disaster, and which is the best that can be said about it. What I think will happen, thanks to this COI, is that we will relive the 2020 elections in all its ugliness, and dig a deeper hole for ourselves. We need one, but not in the manner that this came into being. I leave it at that today. Because after this COI is done and delivered, it would be as if we never left that dreadful 5-month interval, and continue from where we left off, with renewed energies, passions, and prejudices. Yes, it will so disturb our spirits.
(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper.)