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Feb 06, 2023 Editorial

Kaieteur News – We always knew that this was going to be a part of what Guyanese could expect, in what they would be involved, with their oil wealth.  We have repeatedly said it here, as to what would be an aspect of the lot of Guyanese and their working relationship with ExxonMobil and its partners, or its vendors, if not all of these foreign presences operating in this country. It is about the oil trickles coming downwards, the little droplets of consideration touching them every now and again.  The confirmation is in the caption, “Exxon shipbuilder looking for Guyanese to help expats move around pets, find living quarters, set up bank accounts” (KN February 5).

The sickening reality is that the people who own this oil are being contemplated for the roles of dog walkers, cat watchers, and rabbit groomers.  Let us hope that there are neither skunks nor snakes owned by the expats who are employed by that shipbuilding relation of Exxon that takes up residence here.  But this is what Guyanese to whom this massive oil wealth belongs are reduced, the high esteem in which they are held, thanks to our feeble and fooling around politicians in both the PPP/C Government and the APNU+AFC Coalition Opposition.

We have some simple questions, that are both sharp and troubling: is there any Guyanese, educated or unexposed to matters about oil, of the understanding and belief that there is a single Kuwaiti or Saudi or Iraqi who any foreign oil operator, or oil-related supplier, would consider for any such role, even dare to mention that in public?  Is there one citizen from any of those three oil-producing countries that would be delighted, not feel mortally insulted, to be thought of for such menial jobs?  Would they work for them (foreigners) as bottom of the barrel employees, as opposed to taking their rightful places as respected partners and participants by virtue of what belongs to them?

If this is not ‘eye-pass’ of the worst type, then nothing will ever arise that unleashes a spark in Guyanese, so contented they are to grab at any scraps thrown at them, so that they fight among themselves to serve as the minions and flunkeys of foreigners.  We had already put into the public domain that Guyanese will have some jobs specially reserved for them, when the foreigners take up residence here in their droves. Jobs such: as cooks and bottle washers, drivers and maids and shoeshine men and boys. To that shortened list, we can now add dog handlers, cat groomers and pet babysitters.  This is in an oil-producing country that is the brightest apple in the eyes of the world, and the dismal environment to which more and more of its citizens are condemned.

At the business level, Guyanese would be recruited to be scouts for real estate availability in certain neighborhoods.  Local real estate companies should come into their own, do very well.  Unfortunately, the other side of that equation is that this demand, most likely to grow in months and years ahead, would push up prices for Guyanese seeking to rent, either to live in, or to conduct some business opportunity. It must be said that hunting for and finding living quarters for expats would be a few notches up from dog walkers and pet managers.

The setting up of local bank accounts, with correspondent banking relationships to facilitate the movement of funds into and out of Guyana, is also what would be the preserve of Guyanese.  They would know how to navigate local banking and business red tape, how the ropes work, who the players are, and where the bottlenecks are.  Their toil would be just like the footwork and heavy lifting that Customs brokers have always done for locals to clear stuff.  There is the benefit for the foreigners of freeing up their time, so that they can focus their energies on exploring and profiting the rich opportunities in oil rich Guyana. Guyana is the newest, biggest, brightest stage in the oil world, and the sad reality is that Guyanese are nothing but bit players in their own rich story.  How long will this continue?  When will these obscenities cease?

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