Hard Truths by GHK Lall – PPP Govt. – Three Years of The Commercial, Three Years of The Malarial 

Aug 02, 2023 Features / Columnists, News, The GHK Lall Column

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Kaieteur News – What have Guyanese had for the last three years under the PPP Government?  What has President Ali and VP Jagdeo presented that comforts all citizens? How do global presences assess Guyana? Where are Guyanese amid the gleam of galloping events? How do they manage, reconcile, where they should be?

Ask the President and he will wax lavish about roads, clinics, schools, and more. It is so, and citizens use them; that counts for something. The issue still not addressed, is how our unemployed, underemployed, unskilled, retired and poor cope?  The symphony of being the richest overwhelms all other sounds.  But I identify minimum wage workers, public servants, income-strapped (pensioners et al), and bottom feeders, they qualify for neither ‘high-income’ nor rich in anything.  Even hope dims.  Amid the array of infrastructure projects, they languish.  It is the equivalent of giving a hungry man a shiny suit.  Or presenting a woman with evening gowns when her home is lacking.  The fuel, or the means for fuel, is not there.  Thanks, Dr. Ali, but this is the reality of the majority of the citizenry.  I would have recommended fewer public works, and more government relief money where it is most needed.

Some expensive projects could have waited.  More than some of the hungry and struggling people lifted.  I nod at cash, subsidies, and such: too little, too imbalanced in comparison to steel, cement, and structures.  Dr. President, I am talking people here; people right here under the PPP’s three-year watch that are hurting.  Guyanese are the richest in the world, but many hustle to grab any dollar-a-day job they can get.  Our GDP is an incomparable beauty, yet too many Guyanese survive in daily agony.  This reality, Dr. President, is the legacy of the last three years, and all the building in the world doesn’t ease their pain.  Poverty amelioration should be discarded.  Fuhgeddaboudit!  Respectfully, commander, try poverty elimination.  Can be done.  Right now.  Sleep on that, sir.

In his own words, VP Jagdeo spoke about “better contract management.”  I hear, agree, sire.  Yet, the last three years have seen better protection for Exxon, better clearances for Exxon, better prospects for Exxon, and better in terms of unlimited power for Exxon.  I congratulate brother Bharrat E. Jagdeo on his wisdom, energies, and results relative to better contract management.

I could be wrong, but my thinking re “better contract management” has to do with money.  Squeezing more out of Exxon for Guyana. Focusing on savings that could be had for Guyana.  Sharing with Guyanese, so that they can participate in this mystical “better contract management” vision.  I stretch my hand out to brother Barry.  Try these for size, please, since a cat could be skinned many way; since renegotiation is kiss of death in Guyana’s politics.

Better contract management means letting Guyanese be privy to the billions in expenses that Exxon submits.  A few billion could be entangled and straightening those out could mean a few dollars more for us.  Better contract management means that Guyanese know what Exxon charges us for interests on loans taken, or equity invested.  It cannot be 10%, not even 8%, not when interest rates were where they were.  There could be a couple billion there.  And, please, Dr. J, don’t try walking on air like the real Dr. J (Irving) with dissertations and distractions about investor returns.  Too slick, doesn’t stick.  Better contract management would call for audit reports, all oil reports, being publicized.  Guyanese would appreciate how many millions have questions surrounding them.  Awareness would come of the quality of the Guyana-Exxon partnership.  I do not mean to insult friar Alistair or brother Barry, but mistakes happen when big money is involved.

Better contract management means that brother Jagdeo suddenly finds that his time is required elsewhere, so there is less time for new project approvals.  The VP may try a fast one, by pretending to be dense, but I know that he understands what I table.  I try some Yankee lingo. Time is money.  Slowed project approvals leads to Exxon raising a sweat, triggering corporate hypertension, perhaps finding God.  There are ways to tie a cobra to a fire hydrant.  Put differently, Messrs. Woods and Routledge become enlightened.  Better contract management can have teeth.  It must not be all tongue; an unsanitary one, to boot.  To reinforce my Americanism, Guyanese patriotism, and PPP credentialism, all should note that the ‘r’ word is unmentioned.  It is not race.  Think of a six-syllable ‘r’ word ending in ion; or a verb stopping after ate.  I push for no such thing, when “better contract management” Dr. Jagdeo’s own words prevail.  From expenses, interest, audits, slower approvals, Guyana could get at least US$5 billion more, maybeUS$10.Another thing, brothers Ali and Jagdeo: using 2015 and the PNC lacks comparison, when today’s money cup gushes, overflows.  Good politics, great PR, bad leadership.

I hope Guyanese now appreciate why leaders get upset with writings, presentations.  If Dr. Jagdeo had worked his “better contract management” more firmly, honestly, patriotically, Guyana would have gotten billions more in the last three years.  Last, President Ali would have had more to spend on struggling Guyanese.  Not on projects that corrupt, but on Guyanese hurting.  Notwithstanding their bright smiles and brighter words, this is the ugly story of their wasting of the past three years.

(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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• Commercial, GHK Lall, hard truths, Malarial, Three

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