Oil don’t spoil, but we pocket done spoil

Nov 03, 2025 Dem Boys Seh, Features / Columnists

(Kaieteur News) – Dem boys seh de former Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago did right when he seh, “oil don’t spoil.” But dem boys quick fuh add, it could spill — and in Guyana, is not de oil that spilling, but de people pocket. Every time one barrel come up, dem boys does pray nothing don’t spill.

Guyana now a big-time oil country, or so dem seh. But dem boys still can’t figure out how a nation sitting on billions of barrels of oil still got fuh borrow money fuh fix one road and build bridge. We producing oil like ants carrying sugar, yet de treasury dry like coconut shell after de milk done drain out.

Dem boys seh it strange, man. Usually when people find oil, dem celebrate. But when Guyana find oil, we shoulda mourn. Because instead of oil wealth, what we get is oil debt. Other countries go in debt because dem government went on a spending spree. Guyana going in debt because de oil companies on de spree — and we footing de bill.

Dem boys seh dem oil companies spending like sailor on shore leave. Plane ticket here, consultancy fee there, and nuff big fancy office chair. Everything costing triple what it should. Dem submit invoice for mosquito spray, and somehow dat end up as “exploration cost.” But who can question dem? Not we, because we done sign away de right to even ask too loud.

And speaking of signing, dem boys seh is de same politicians who put we in dis bab-a-laps. Dem go fuh negotiate but end up bowing instead. Dem sign agreement wid dem eye close.One man even sign so fast, dem boys sure he didn’t read a single line. Maybe he thought it was a birthday card, not a billion-dollar contract.

Now, every time we blink, new figure pop up in de papers. Billions here, billions there — all “cost recovery.” Dem boys seh dat mean dem recoverin’ every cent dem spend, and we recoverin’ nothing but headache. And when we ask questions, dem tell we to hush and be grateful — as if gratitude can pay off debt or build hospital.

Dem boys seh Guyana got to be de only place where oil find we poorer. De more we pump, de less we keeping. Is like cooking soup with nuff meat and bone, but when you done share out, you left wid only de pot cover.

So, dem boys seh, don’t talk too much ‘bout oil prosperity. Because while oil don’t spoil, contract can. And de way things deh going, dem boys waiting fuh de day when de only thing left to export is we shame.

Talk half. Leff half.

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Dem Boys Seh, oil, pocket, spoil

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