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Strong Govts. will not bow to threats against renegotiation of bad contracts – African Anti-corruption Legend
Kaieteur News – When countries are saddled with ‘bad contracts’ it is not unusual for their business partners to communicate threats in an effort to prevent the deal from being changed. A strong government however will not allow their hands to stay tied, but will do what is necessary to get more for their people.
This was essentially the message shared by the profound anti-corruption icon of Africa, Professor Patrick Loch Otieno Lumumba when he made his initial appearance on the Glenn Lall Show, May 27, 2023.
Africa’s Anti-corruption Legend, Professor Patrick Loch Otieno Lumumba (Photo credit: Daily Trust)
Lumumba is a Kenyan who served as the Director of the Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission from September 2010 to August 2011. Since 2014, Lumumba has been the Director of The Kenya School of Law. Research also shows that Lumumba is well respected for his attempts “to slay the elusive corruption dragon.”
During a live discussion on Kaieteur Radio (99.1 and 99.5 FM) with the Publisher of Kaieteur News, Mr. Glenn Lall and one of the newspaper’s Senior Journalist, Kiana Wilburg, the African legend focused his views on the local oil and gas industry rapidly developing in Guyana, while referencing the experiences of nations at his end of the globe.
As it regards the lopsided deal Guyana inked with American oil major, ExxonMobil, Lumumba explained that such companies would try to send threats to avoid that country from seeking more, however a determined government will not allow this to halt their quest.
He said, “They will tell you because you signed, if you now want to get out of the contract, we are going to slap you with damages and that kind of thing, we are going to ensure that you are blacklisted, we are going to ensure (your) oil and gas cannot be sold. These are the threats that they normally use but if you have a strong government and I saw it as I said with the government of the United Republic of Tanzania, if you have a strong government, you will discover that there are so many countries in the world that are suffering the same fate and they will fight from your corner.”
He went on to say that Guyana is very close to Trinidad and Tobago, a country whose contract administration is considered a model around the World. The model is in fact being used by some countries, including Uganda which is gearing to commence oil production soon.
Lumumba pointed out that Uganda’s pipeline, constructed to transport oil was held up by the European Union and Total Energies as they were against a refinery being built by the African nation.
It is here that he asserted that sometimes, leaders sit with their hands and lips tied as they are either intimidated into silence or they have been bought into silence. As such, Professor Lumumba stated, “So it is the duty of organizations outside of government to act like gadflies. It is you who must force the hand of government by way of asking these questions.”
The anti-corruption advocate noted that ExxonMobil has been generating massive profits, which in some instances can be greater than the Gross Domestic Product of all the Caribbean countries combined. He said that the skins of these corporations have become thick overtime; hence the efforts to secure better terms for a country must be relentless and multipronged. Professor Lumumba was also keen to note that all legal avenues must be pursued to achieve the desired results.
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