King Alistair disappointed over court ruling

May 08, 2023 Features / Columnists, News, The GHK Lall Column

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Kaieteur News – Guyana’s King Alistair I is ‘disappointed’ about how High Court Judge Sandil Kissoon ruled in the matter of full insurance coverage. I feel for this new colonial master standing astride over Guyana, this arrogant, self-serving imperialist rubbing the nose of the PPP Government and its leaders into the dust. King Alistair wants to do the same with the Guyanese people, and the few institutions of the State that stand for them.

The reigning oil monarch over Guyana is disappointed that the Judge did not take into consideration the financial capabilities of Exxon, and all that it has put in place to secure Guyana, and all that it is working towards in the form of a guarantee that is above and beyond industry standards. Perhaps, he is expecting some additional prostration from Guyanese over these marvelous acts of benevolence being extended to them.

As I ponder King Alistair’s pitiful complaint, his useless posturing, I remember how the slave masters from Virginia and Georgia, and the same Texas in which Exxon now operates, used to love saying how well they were treating their slaves in chains, how kind and considerate all of them were to their captive human subjects toiling away under that most “odious institution” of America.
Isn’t this the exact same thing that the ruling sovereign over Guyana is doing today? How he lords it over our parliament, that even the elected representatives of the Guyanese people have converted to those who now love serving their master’s wishes in the national house? Where they fight against the best interests of their fellow Guyanese?

The Exxon Country Head in Guyana spoke about the judge giving short thrift to the “financial capabilities” of his company. I fully agree that there is such deep-pocketed financial capabilities, and without a doubt, it is what could be utilized to comfort Guyanese, because of the cushion that it offers.

The problem, and it is one of critical proportions, is that such is not devoted to what protects Guyanese. Exxon has not shown the least inclination in the direction of what could secure Guyana, and empower the Guyanese people to flourish. Exxon has done the opposite at every turn and bend in the road of this one-sided partnership, which contributes to ensuring its spectacular profitability, while many citizens of this country are struggling to get a complete meal when the day comes.

The reality is that those near incomparable financial capabilities at Exxon’s fingertips stands ready to be rolled out as a fearsome weapon in the company’s remorseless war against the interests, the safety, and the prosperity of the Guyanese people. Let not a single Guyanese be fooled.

Not for one minute. Exxon has a long, conspicuous, and dogged history of using its massive financial muscle, and all of its other capabilities (legal, political, intellectual, and public relations, among others) to beat back and beatdown those who object to its addiction to profiting from their national patrimony by any means available, and whatever the cost.

Like kings in most places, the Exxon one in Guyana has his serfs, those who prostrate themselves to his every wish, sometimes even before they take form in him. I watch with shame, with regret, with loathing how my Guyanese brothers in the PPP Government fall over themselves to disagree with a Guyanese jurist, and grovel in abject surrender to the possibly spoken and unspoken expectations of the Exxon Country Head here, and the bigger heads in Irving, Texas. The PPP Government of Guyana is appealing the judgement of the Guyana High Court.

This is how King Alistair I of the house of Exxon is coronated every day in Guyana. With powerful fanfare by the PPP Government. This is how the interests of Guyanese are laid waste, and this is how our hopes are sown with salt. It is what was embodied in the words of Cato the Elder (“carthago delenda est”) with what the Roman conquerors did to the soil of Carthage, and took care of the Carthaginians for good. Exxon is on to a good thing in Guyana, the best anywhere, and it is not going to let go, financial capabilities or not; judicial ruling or not.

Exxon has weakened our politicians to a state of feeble compromising; our so-called intellectuals take refuge in evading and dishonesty; with many Guyanese selling themselves for any piece of silver they can get. This is how conquerors succeed; this is how backstabbing governments, appealing governments, keep their place and earn their smiles of approval. John Hess himself was proud to say it: “democratic” government in Guyana. Guyanese struggle to survive under an epileptic contract and the CEO of Hess Corp can speak of a democratic country because there are despotic leaders doing his dirty work.

Exxon holds the Guyana Government in its hands. Exxon tightens its grip on Guyanese political leaders. Exxon has commandeered Guyana’s parliament to its state of pathetic submission. Exxon now moves with energy to overwhelm Guyana’s judiciary. A man walks in Berbice. Guyanese must not let Exxon walkover them anymore. Stand up to these exploiters, walkover their contract.

(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and beliefs of this newspaper and its affiliates.)

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• Exxon, High Court, Judge Sandil Kissoon, King Alistair

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