Is Raphael Trotman’s book the Holy Grail for denigrating the PPP & PNC?

Jan 16, 2025 Letters

Dear Editor,

I make reference to Mr. Sherwin Downer, Leader of the newly formed United Workers Party’s (UWP) January 14th, 2025 letter to your established Kaieteur News, entitled: “The PNC and PPP cannot be trusted to govern this Nation”.

Though accusatory in most parts, he legitimately posits that 59 years of Guyana’s stewardship were in the hands of the two behemoth parties- PPP & PNC. Both were tasked to administer the affairs of Guyana judiciously and both had zeniths and nadirs.

What I take exception to in his missive is not about the mis-management of Guyana for the 59 years but the accusation that the PPP was in cahoots with the PNC to accept wholesale, the 2016 Production Sharing Agreement( PSA) Oil Contract that Rex Tillerson, then Exxon Chief, crafted and drafted.

I am astounded that the basis of his missive to denigrate juxtaposes squarely between a few lines extracted from Raphael Trotman’s book. Trotman, in 2016, was the Minister of Natural Resources, in the APNU/AFC Government tasked with fielding a team to negotiate said oil contract with Exxon and in the process, suffered Guyana with this egregiously woeful oil contract.

But why the pronouncement now, 2024-2025, about PPP’s collusion in 2016 when the PPP government was empowered since 2020 and grievously lament the lopsided contract.

Fact of the matter, Bharat Jagdeo, then PPP Opposition Leader railed in Parliament and on social media about the absurdity of the signed 2016 PSA Oil Contract. Additionally, whilst gearing up for the 2020 election, included the RENEGOTIATION of this lopsided contract, in the PPP 2020 Manifesto. The PPP is not getting a free pass on this Manifesto promise. (NOTE: To date that PPP Manifesto promise has not been fulfilled in its entirety).

Why did Trotman, in 2020, not counter the PPP’s argument then or even when vehemently shrilled in Parliament by the PPP who were in opposition 2015-2020? Did Trotman add that excerpt to “spice up” his book? To drum up sales? To accelerate provocation, public distrust, sow seeds of discord, etc? Would it not have been super great Propaganda for the APNU/AFC to debunk Jagdeo’s narratives then, in 2020 Election period?

Credible evidence, Mr. Downer-a taped convo, minutes of the meeting when this alleged PPP agreement took place, eyewitnesses graphic accounts of this epic axiom-will suffice. Please don’t tell me, “It deh in Trotman book, Bai, see fu self.” Unless fact checked, controversial and provocative excerpts in Trotman’s book remain pure speculation.

Swallowing Trotman’s excerpt, hook, line and sinker and using that to feed the piranha frenzy and bedevilling the emotions of the Guyanese public, to score cheap political points, is disingenuous and unmeritorious. As a newly formed political party, the public needs to be convinced that the UWP is legit. Feeding the nation with objective, solid, bonafide information- not sloganeering and propaganda- will legitimize advocacy of UWP- lest UWP be painted with the same brush.