The way of exploiters

Jun 30, 2024 Editorial

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Kaieteur News – This nation’s oil wealth has provided an education on the ways, attitudes, and results of the efforts of foreign exploiters.  ExxonMobil is such an exploiter, a corporate oil tsunami that blasts any object, human or other, that stands in its way.  When that damage is done, the people leading the company study their handiwork and then move to eradicate whatever is left that interferes with its all-consuming greed.  Some bitter lessons are being taught to gullible and docile Guyanese, lessons about the lengths to which ExxonMobil would go to get its way.  There is a standard to the methods of the oil invaders, the despoilers who would disembowel every stirring of objection and resistance to the company’s animalistic plundering of Guyana’s rich natural resources.  The pattern that was set in other oil-producing countries is being repeated and taken to new heights here.

ExxonMobil came to Guyana at less than its usual strength.  The company was struggling to cope with the consequences of falling oil prices, eager for the next great big oil discovery.  What has been a gift to ExxonMobil has been a blight of national proportions to hopeful locals.  The order of business was to kerfuffle and handcuff the government and its leaders.  This was what ExxonMobil succeeded in doing through an oil contract that the foulest name in the English Language is too good for it.  It would be too charitable to those who call themselves investors but are worse than grave robbers.  The dirtiest word in any language is not enough to capture the magnitude of that 2016 oil contract.  It is a combination that houses a felony, a depravity, and corporate greed and horror in their greatest expressions.  The leaders in the former APNU+AFC coalition government found themselves handcuffed and with electronic ankle bracelets to complete the circle of their self-inflicted captivity.  In came the PPP/C Government, whose leaders promised to upturn the contract, only for them to be tumbled head over heels by its paralyzing provisions.  And their well-known lust for power whatever the price that had to be paid.  If a whole country had to be sold, then it was a cheap one for the PPP/C to seal, so that it could return to power.  It was what the PPP/C did, continues to do.  ExxonMobil was only too glad to do its part and grease the PPP/C’s way.  Now as the national government, the one whose leaders had promised so much is like a mummy: wrapped almost from head to toe in ExxonMobil’s clothing and cause.  Can there be bigger traitors of a people?

In swift succession, ExxonMobil locked down and tied down most of civil society, the professional class, and the just as greedy private sector.  State institutions and state media entities and friendly media outlets (subtle sellouts) were all willing to jump on the American oil giant bandwagon.  They painted a rich picture about it, while condemning Guyanese to generations of slavery, the economic misery that follows.  ExxonMobil was also able to get Guyanese to cut the throats of their own, with politicians prostituting themselves in their rush to grab the company’s attention and its favours.  Division and self-destruction have been Guyanese realities with ExxonMobil reaping Guyanese riches uninterruptedly and joyfully.

Then ExxonMobil cast its eyes at what and who is left standing amid the wreckage of a rich oil country transformed into an oil tragedy, a national shame.  Among the few left standing against the ExxonMobil juggernaut is this publication and Glenn Lall, its publisher.  An ExxonMobil partner called people like Lall noisemakers.  Guyana’s President Ali called citizens like Lall fighting for better from their massive oil wealth, naysayers and detractors.  The national oil czar, Vice President Jagdeo, has only had the derogatory and inflammatory to offer about patriots like Glenn Lall and others.  ExxonMobil had done its work well, made great local political bargains, so it sat back and laughed at the comedy of Guyanese thrashing Guyanese, with top government leaders (and their media flunkeys) in the forefront.  When those proved of limited utility in stopping Lall and his Kaieteur News, ExxonMobil’s Guyana head stepped into the fray and lashed out with his blow.

ExxonMobil’s Alistair Routledge comes to Guyana and feels empowered to fire at a Guyanese (Lall): he is a political aspirant.  Mr. Routledge just made himself into a fire hydrant on which every patriotic Guyanese should shower their body fluids, as a mark of their respect.  This character Routledge, with the cheering of traitorous Guyanese, thinks he is entitled to dip his toe into Guyana’s domestic waters and deliver verbal kicks at any Guyanese he believes should be so kicked.  This powerful American oilman, given such cojones by a pathetic government, opposition, and their minions, now sees himself as an overseer on a plantation where he can whip and lash into submission Guyanese that raise their voices against his 2016 oil contract and spit upon it.  Political aspirant from Routledge is his way of urinating on the hopes of Guyanese.  This white man’s ‘eyes pass’ Guyana and the aspirations of all Guyanese.  And he can dare to do so because he is guaranteed the freedom by a national government and political opposition that have rendered themselves into invalids.  Alongside the government and opposition, parliament and private sector, civil society and houses of worship, this is what most Guyanese in those groups have done to themselves.  It is how they pimp themselves and sold-out citizens for ExxonMobil’s favour and ExxonMobil’s dollar.

The oil tyrant Routledge rages about who is a political aspirant.  Routledge is advised to stay out of Guyana’s politics.  Do the right thing Routledge, be about genuine partnership and real prosperity for all Guyanese.  Leave politics to locals.  Routledge should remember another thing: ExxonMobil has been generous to Guyana’s political class.  Let them be concerned about political aspirants.  Leave them to fight those battles.  Concentrate on an open and honest partnership with Guyana.

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• consequences, Editorial, education, exploiters, ExxonMobil

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