Guyanese welcome Blinken with protest over Exxon deal, rape allegations

Jul 07, 2023 ExxonMobil, News, Oil & Gas

Kaieteur News – Scores of women from the Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) ‘Red Thread’ and other groups on Thursday staged protest actions at several points in Georgetown in a bid to capture the attention of the visiting United States Secretary of State, Antony Blinken.

The women were calling for American oil major, ExxonMobil to provide full liability coverage to protect Guyana against the perils of an oil spill and for former Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Nigel Dharamlall to be charged with rape, in light of the allegations leveled against him.

The Red Thread women had been protesting for several weeks now for ExxonMobil to take full responsibility for its offshore activities in Guyana’s Stabroek Block. The group had also commenced picket action against Dharamlall and among other things, had called for him to be dismissed.

Scenes from the ‘Red Thread’ protest

On their placards and via their slogans, the women demanded “Exxon must provide parent company guarantee” and even queried, “Who will pay the cleanup cost in case of a disaster? Guyanese tax payers?”

Meanwhile, ‘Red Thread’ also demanded “Protect the victim, not the alleged rapist, Dharamlall.” Blinken was on a one-day visit to Guyana on July 6, to discuss areas of cooperation between the two states. High on the agenda between the two allies were energy and food security, climate resilience, decarbonization, regional migration and building local capacity, according to the United States Embassy. The top U.S Official also held a meeting with Guyana’s President, Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali yesterday at State House.

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allegations, deal, Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Nigel Dharamlall, rape

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