Guyanese Silence Fuels Exploitation

Jan 05, 2025 News

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Kaieteur News– The PPP and the PNC have masterfully created a dangerous environment in the hearts and minds of the Guyanese people—a toxic mix of confusion, fear, self-interest, and misplaced trust. This toxic atmosphere has silenced many, allowing the skullduggery surrounding our natural resources to continue unchecked and unchallenged.

Let’s break it down, because the silence is not one-size-fits-all—it stems from different places with different kinds of people.

There are those who remain silent because they genuinely don’t understand what is happening. The deliberate lack of transparency, coupled with complex oil contracts with technical wording, leaves many in the dark.  These people don’t see the full picture; they don’t grasp the magnitude of what’s being lost, stolen, or mismanaged. As a result, they stay quiet—not out of malice or apathy, but out of confusion and uncertainty. How can they question or demand change if they don’t fully understand what is wrong?

Then, there are those who stay silent because they want to get a piece of the action. They see the billions of dollars flowing through the country and hope to secure their share, however small, by keeping their heads down and their mouths shut, not rocking the boat. These people are convinced that silence is an investment for their personal gain – they rationalize their inaction by telling themselves that their silence might lead to a job, a contract, or some other benefits. For them, silence is not just golden—it is self-serving.

Others are silent because they are already part of the action. These are the ones directly benefiting from the shady deals, contracts, and under-the-table arrangements that come with the mismanagement of Guyana’s resources. Speaking out would mean jeopardizing their pockets, Complicity is their ticket to wealth, and silence is the price they pay to keep the system as it is.

Some remain silent out of genuine fear. Fear of retaliation, fear of losing their jobs, fear of being ostracized in their communities, or even fear for their safety. In a country where dissent is often met with aggression or threats or worse, silence becomes a shield for their survival. These people see what’s happening but feel powerless to speak out, trapped by the risks that come with raising their voices.

Then there are those who remain silent because they believe and trust in these leaders. They have been convinced by the endless promises of progress and prosperity, believing that these politicians have their best interests at heart. They are holding on to hope, even as the evidence of betrayal becomes so clear and impossible to ignore.  These people are not silent because they are complicit or afraid—they are silent because they still believe, despite all that is happening.

And finally, there are those who are sitting in the middle of the fence—caught between wanting to see change and wanting to secure a piece of the cake for themselves. These individuals are in a peculiar position. They see the injustice, they recognize the mismanagement, and deep down, they know Guyana deserves better. But their personal interests hold them back.

Instead of speaking out or taking a stand, they choose to wait and watch, carefully observing which side of the fence will be more beneficial to them. If one side promises reform and accountability, they lean that way—but only as long as it doesn’t jeopardize their chances of benefiting personally. If the other side dangles a contract, a job, or some other advantage, they lean in that direction instead.

These people are not silent out of fear or ignorance—they are silent out of calculated self-interest. They want to hedge their bets, ensuring they land on the winning side, whatever that side may be.  In their hesitation and inaction, they inadvertently enable the very system they claim to want to change.

This “fence-sitting” behaviour is not harmless—it is destructive. By refusing to commit to what is right and just, they prolong the status quo, allowing those in power to continue exploiting Guyana’s resources while the people suffer. Their indecision becomes a silent endorsement of the very exploitation they claim to oppose.

But here is the reality: you can’t stay on the fence forever. At some point, you must decide—stand with the people and demand justice, or align with those who are looting Guyana’s future. The middle ground is not a safe place—it is a space where complicity thrives.

This collective silence is not just a symptom of the problem—it is part of the reason it continues to flourish. It creates a space where exploitation can thrive, where ExxonMobil and their likes can walk away with billions while Guyanese are thrown chicken bones. The PPP and PNC have fostered a culture where silence is seen as safer, smarter, or more rewarding than standing up and speaking out.

But this silence comes at a cost—a cost that every Guyanese will ultimately bear. If we don’t break free from this toxic cycle of silence and complicity, we risk condemning ourselves, and the generations to come, to a life of exploitation, debt, and missed opportunities.

2025 must be the year we stand up and speak up, demand accountability from our leaders, it must be the year we refuse to be silent, afraid, or complicit any longer. This is the time to reclaim what is rightfully ours—not just our natural resources, but our dignity, our power, and our future. The time for silence has passed. 2025 is the time for action, let us do it and do it together.

(Guyanese Silence Fuels Exploitation)

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• billions of dollars, deliberate lack of transparency, Guyanese Silence Fuels Exploitation, PNC, PPP

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