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 Oil contract

Jan 29, 2025 Editorial, News

Editorial…

Kaieteur News-The first clue that the PPP/C Government is terribly afraid of something is when its leading spokespeople put up a wall of silence.  The second clue is when it retreats behind a veil of silence.  The third clue that an issue raised has pierced the shell of the party and government is when the messengers are made examples of, attacked and mocked.  The 2016 ExxonMobil Production Sharing Agreement (contract) had been violently taken apart by the PPP/C group when it was in opposition, and in the early days when the reins of government returned into its hands.  Everything about it was wrong, and there were so many things that the returning PPP/C Government was going to make right with it.

We agree that there are many holes in the 2016 ExxonMobil contract.  There is the increasing awareness that the same PPP/C Government that condemns the vile terms and conditions of the contract is also supporting its insulting provisions at the same time.  Since this contract is the exclusive work of the previous APNU+AFC Coalition Government according to the PPP/C Government’s top people, then it follows that the door is wide open for a full and credible investigation of it.  What went on, who were the principal participants and decision makers, and what role did the then opposition PPP/C have, if any?  Since the current PPP/C Government was so against the 2016 ExxonMobil contract, why is it favouring it so much today?  What is the explanation or foundation for the change of heart of the PPP/C Government and its leadership relative to this contract that they so roundly cursed before?

A genuine investigation could drive a nail in the coffin of the PNC/R and AFC Opposition as viable, trustworthy political presences locally. So why is the PPP/C Government dragging its feet on an investigation of the contract, given the advantages that may be had, most of which would be damaging to its chief political opponents?  If the APNU+AFC’s hands are the only ones tainted by involvement in the ExxonMobil contract, then neither the government nor the party nor Vice President Jagdeo has anything to be nervous about.  Why even give the people who signed the contract so much as breathing room?  The hesitancy of the government today makes no sense, and it paves the way for a number of unsettling questions.

Due to its claimed distance from the ExxonMobil contract, there should be nothing to fear.  So, why is the PPP/C Government acting as though it has much to be afraid of from an investigation of the 2016 ExxonMobil contract?  Why not proceed, therefore, with energy and zeal to get to the bottom of what went on with the contract?  The PPP/C has one of its best opportunities to vanquish its major political competition once and for all.  The party of General Secretary Bharrat Jagdeo is not one to let such a juicy, low hanging fruit go by without capitalising to the maximum on its presence. Hesitation looks suspicious, doesn’t instil confidence.

The revelation in former Minister of Natural Resources Raphael Trotman’s book that there were secret consultations with the then PPP/C opposition for unanimous approval of tax waiver for ExxonMobil more than raises eyebrows.  It begs the question about how deep the PPP/C Government is in this mess that calls itself a fair oil contract?  Which political opposition, who in the leadership of such a group, could be comfortable playing such a double game?  That is, tearing the contract apart one minute publicly, then sharing in secretly the next minute in efforts to unravel a tax waiver situation so that ExxonMobil can benefit.

It is political hypocrisy at its worst and the height of leadership irresponsibility and indifference to be for something (tax waiver) that would cost Guyanese hundreds of millions, if not billions of US dollars on a continuing basis.  What did the PPP/C leadership stand to gain by making sure that it was part of such colluding action cobbled together under the cover of darkness?  There is a good chance that in the answers to these questions are the reasons why Jagdeo and the PPP/C Government baulks at doing any investigation of the contract.  Its own hair could catch afire.

 (Oil contract)

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