To protect patrimony or to plunder it

Jul 08, 2023 Editorial

Kaieteur News – Guyanese have had the worst experiences with their oil wealth. One government imprisoned them with a contract that has no comparison. The succeeding government made hay condemning the same contract in the sharpest terms, only for its leading people to walk back from their previous positions. Thus, a deal licenses foreign partners to plunder our patrimony. Much of this was expected to be corrected with the new draft oil law. Despite taking strong stances earlier, the PPPC Government is now positioning itself to continue with some new schemes that open the door for more corruptions that have infested governance locally.

We lived with the failures of politicians and public servants before the arrival of oil. Guyanese live with them today in the worst way. When straight answers would resolve probing and burning questions, citizens are merely spectators to a pack of deceptions from packs of elected officials. There are few straight talkers, fewer with clean hands. Matters have degraded so much that deceptions no longer impress nor fool, so transparent they have become. Yet they are persisted with, and the worst possibilities promised.

The draft law now contemptuously shared with citizens for a brief two-week consultation has some eye-opening provisions incorporated. One gives the clearest picture of how political minds function in the loopholes they put in place to facilitate future schemes, shenanigans. What is eye-opening for observant citizens is mouthwatering for politicians, given the thefts available, the riches to be pillaged. It is not just foreigners robbing this country blind, but the people that Guyanese elect to high office are also always on the lookout for ways to enrich themselves at the expense of Guyanese.

The minister overseeing the sector, whoever it is at that time, will be vested with considerable powers, as it should be. But he or she must not be the sole overseer sitting unchallengeable and untouchable in the management of this rich, tempting sector. We recall what has happened in Nigeria and Angola with the oil wealth of those countries, who helped themselves, and who have been hurt every step of the way when great wealth came. In Guyana, the original thinking was that a Petroleum Commission was needed, and would be put in place. Now there is dancing around what everybody agreed would serve as another layer of management and scrutiny, and a solid check and balance. More eyes and minds and hands would be part of the oil sector oversight, and have the practical potential of being the brakes (or uninvolved and outraged voice) on excesses or corruptions with the patrimony of poor citizens in a poor country.

Now the layers and the brakes are spoken of in softer and slipperier tones, are of diminished priority. Now the talk is of the subject minister having virtually unlimited powers in his or her hands, with cabinet standing guard. Candidly, neither governors nor ministers nor cabinets have done right by Guyanese. Instead of doing what benefits citizens, the historical record is of what benefits the politicians gathered around national patrimony and treasury.

When asked for an answer on the conspicuous absence of a Petroleum Commission, Vice President Jagdeo had this to say: “The Commission is not in place so you have to give the powers to the Minster…so the minister has the powers and the Minister can delegate these powers. So under the law, the Minister can delegate the powers to technical bodies.”We are against so much power in the hands of any minister, given our history with governments. Concerning that aspect about “delegate these powers”, those delegated to have left chronic disappointments through their failures, and the farces they come up with to cover up their actions. We shouldn’t have to say EPA.

Guyanese know how the EPA is a rubberstamp. Separately, oil blocks have been given away in secret deals to middlemen (cronies) acting for politicians, and how leaders then say that ‘no law is broken’ when those possibly corrupt deals are hurled in their faces. Clearly, it is the same tricks and treacheries planned with so much power in ministerial hands, and when provisions that can protect are mysteriously left out of proposed laws. More political skullduggery could be on the way.

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Editorial, Guyanese, patrimony, plunder, protect

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