Contract renegotiation – American and ExxonMobil must do the right thing

Mar 26, 2023 Editorial

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Kaieteur News – The growing number of Guyanese calling for renegotiation of the 2016 Production Sharing Agreement or oil contract between ExxonMobil and Guyana just received a wakeup call.  It is a wakeup call from a most powerful source, with the equivalent of freezing water thrown in the face to shock into consciousness.  The powerful source is American Ambassador, Sarah Ann Lynch, who is now on record as backing the Guyana Government’s honoring contract sanctity.  Because Ambassador Lynch speaks for the American Government, she must be given the closest listening, given the significance of this official posture of the superpower that manages and controls Guyana.

Politely put, it is devilishly clever for America to commend the Government of Guyana making sanctity of contract the cornerstone of its partnership with ExxonMobil.  What happened to the vaunted, illustrious commitment of America to fair play?  Where is the so-called American priority regarding human rights, especially those of poor, disadvantaged countries struggling to breathe?  What about the sacredness of the Guyanese people’s prosperity that their oil wealth makes possible?  What about the positives to both American and Guyana from a just deal hammered in place, a renegotiated deal?  Are all those great American qualities a sham?  Was it our magnetic oil, its great bearing in American geopolitical visions, and its economic calculations, which camouflaged America’s intimate involvement in our last elections? In other words, was the United States, through Ambassador Lynch, this far ahead of Guyanese that it assessed the two major political groups contesting Guyana’s heated, razor thin national elections, and settled for the one that was more likely to twist itself into knots to abide by sanctity of contract?

We are well aware that America is first and foremost looking out for its own interests.  Nothing else and no country is allowed to compete with American interests.  Whoever has to be sacrificed, will be sacrificed, for they are only pawns to be moved around at will in the scheme of American calculations.

Guyana is finding this out again, and once again Guyanese lose.  Look at the undeniable reality of Guyana today, with all this oil being produced.  Guyana is firmly linked, inseparably tied, to America: American expertise, plus investments, through ExxonMobil.  Guyana is closely attached to growing numbers of American commercial interests, to their increasing prosperity.  Further, it could be said with reasonable accuracy that Guyana identifies with American ideologies, American culture, and the American way of managing its affairs.  This is with a public suspension of considerations about democratic practices and corruption at leadership, governmental, and institutional levels.

It could be said on a sound basis, therefore, that there is no competition for, no threat to, America and its interests, including those of ExxonMobil’s, where Guyana’s oil is concerned. Guyana’s two major political groups vie to outdo each other on saying, doing, what pleases America. Yet, a fair and reasonable deal, a contract that empowers the Guyanese people to live in dignity, and at the level that their great wealth makes possible, is not something worth reconsideration, hence, must be off the table.  This is most unamerican, and to the core.

Guyanese want more for their oil.  Guyanese need more from their wealth.  Guyana know that they should get more, are due more, and they know this with the most absolute of convictions.  When they do not get more, then this is not conducive to the stable environment of which Congressman Smith spoke.  The hoped-for stability in Guyana becomes questionable, under increasing distress, and this is because the wealth and prosperity that should come to all Guyanese are just not happening, and this is not healthy to anybody’s interests.

Renegotiation of the 2016 ExxonMobil contract will not dishonor its sacredness.  Instead, it will enhance ExxonMobil’s and America’s reputation for doing what is fair and just and could not be more right.  The goodwill of the Guyanese people would be immeasurable, something of priceless value to ExxonMobil, American companies, and America itself.  The ExxonMobil contract must be renegotiated, in some shape or form, for more for Guyanese.  The lives and interests of Guyanese are also sacred.  America and ExxonMobil must manifest now how much the sanctity of Guyanese prosperity and Guyanese lives mean to them.

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• Ambassador Lynch, Contract, Editorial, ExxonMobil, renegotiation

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