The PNC and PPP cannot be trusted to govern this nation

Jan 14, 2025 Letters

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Dear Editor

The recent revelation by Mr. Christopher Ram which was extracted from the book ‘From Destiny to Prosperity’ written by former Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Raphael Trotman, has proven a timely reminder to all Guyanese at home and in the Diaspora of the 59 years of untruths, deceit and hypocrisy of both the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) and the People’s National Congress (PNC).

The lopsided 2016 Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) signed between ExxonMobil and the then PNC led A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) plus Alliance for Change (AFC) government continues to draw national and international condemnation. From the inception, the then Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo, now Vice President, and the PPP, joined in on the wave of well-placed criticisms brought against the APNU+ AFC over the acceptance of the minuscule 2% royalty and excessive tax breaks granted to ExxonMobil.

At no point, did either of these parties see it fit to disclose to citizens, the owners of this oil wealth, how Guyana came to be on the receiving end of such a bad deal. However, now that information has come from the horse’s mouth that both the PPP and the PNC had met in secret and agreed to the terms and conditions of the excessive giveaways, we see the scramble for damage control by the PPP after using the PSA situation to its advantage and blatantly lying about its role in this oil deal. Raphael Trotman accused the then opposition leader of meeting with the APNU+AFC government and gave his blessings for the excessive giveaways to ExxonMobil.

Guyanese, this latest development is just a reminder; that the PPP and PNC for decades have been working together behind the scenes, in secret when they need to, making decisions and agreeing to keep information away from citizens. It is only after the beans are spilled that we understand why releasing information to the public is so difficult for these leaders, as many decisions are not made for the benefit of the citizenry, but in favour of foreigners, foreigners’ interest and welfare. Business and personal benefits to these leaders have taken precedence over the development and wellbeing of Guyanese.

What a crying shame. This is in an election year when both the PPP and PNC are asking Guyanese to vote for them once again. They come to the people with their poker faces hiding their true intentions, putting up this fake feud to entangle the masses in their web of disunity and conflict, while they sit and sip cordially behind doors signing the wealth and future of this country away.

Citizens should take note that both these parties met to discuss this important resource and were  refusing to inform the public on how the resources were shared with the foreigners, but now that the information about their roles are public, both sides are blaming each other. In fact, the Vice President has already refuted the opposition’s claims and indicated that party opponents are trying to reel in the PPP to share blame over the PSA. Guyanese, the fact, rather the truth is that the PPP and PNC has been, and continue to work overtime against their own citizens, because of the power struggle to control the resources of this country.

This power struggle, with tools of division and discord at its heart, has left Guyanese caught in the middle and are therefore denied their basic rights as the powerful increase their power and their insensitive posture toward the needs and concerns of the people.

The United Workers Party (UWP) is calling on all Guyanese to break this chokehold that dominant parties have had on our country. The UWP, like many Guyanese, is disgusted by the political circus we have endured for decades and is taking the bold step to do its part in making a difference. The UWP has always been in full support of a commission of inquiry into the handling of that nauseous PSA, since we believe that too much information is being hidden from the public regarding its oil resource.

If elected to represent the people, the UWP promises to press for answers, not only on the oil resource, but on all issues that matter to the ordinary citizen so that he/she could find opportunities and make decisions regarding their country and wellbeing. Guyanese you too must take the bold step to release yourselves from the grips of power and race politics through the demand for information. The PSA discourse between citizens would have been much different if it was known what the then government and opposition had done.

Be reminded that it is the United Workers Party that announced less than a month ago that the PPP and PNC are now expired goods and are no longer good for Guyana. The evidence of this belief continues to pile up. It is clear that neither the PNC, nor the PPP could be trusted to govern this nation honourably.

Sincerely

Sherwin Downer

United Workers Party

Leader

(The PNC and PPP cannot be trusted to govern this nation)

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• ExxonMobil, Mr. Christopher Ram, Sherwin Downer, United Workers Party

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