Fear cripples Govt. on Maduro

Jan 11, 2026 Features / Columnists, The GHK Lall Column

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Hard Truth by GHK Lall

(Kaieteur News) – The fate of Guyana’s oil wealth is sealed.  Aside from Guyanese within the one-percent circle, other citizens can kiss goodbye to their own oil prosperity.  It’s strange how this confirmation came about, but proof came.

Remember Nicolas Maduro and his recent experiences.  It is all enmeshed in his involuntary removal from Caracas to New York.  What does the oil wealth of Guyanese, and their share in it, have to do with Maduro’s removal?  Plenty, be assured.  What gives a clue?  It was the drum that sounded and should have deafened locals still harboring expectations that their day will come, they will collect a rightful slice of their inheritance.

The PPP Govt. leadership that bubbles about democracy and democratic ideals has been rendered speechless by Senor Maduro’s removal, stunned how his removal occurred.  When a stream of soundbites was expected about democracy’s nonnegotiable demands, the compelling and restraining power of international law, and the applicable UN Charter about the ironclad barriers of national sovereignty, the PPP leadership, beginning with Excellency Mohamed Irfaan Ali, was struck dumb.

I recoiled in shame and disbelief.  Surely something could have been said, even some commercial from the bag of platitudes that the ruling PPP reserves for such occasions.  If the party that parrots the return of democracy, and the strengths of Guyana’s democracy, couldn’t have the guts to say that this is not a wholesome development, and the way it was executed unacceptable, then what else can it say?  What more can the PPP Govt represent?  Who can it?

It was the beginning only.  For there was the opposition and, at first, I searched for offerings on the same issue.  What came out initially was on the bland and uninspiring side.  Then, Mr. Aubrey Norton, PNC leader, spoke with Journalist Enrico Woolford, and it was a strong and unambiguous statement.  When someone in the local political fold had to take a stand, the opposition PNC did the honors (More on this soon).

For the PPP Govt., it was if the removal of Maduro did not happen, or if it did, it was in keeping with how such high-level matters are managed.  Wait people, our own people, my people, do not have the heart, do not have the nuts, do not have the backbone, to stand and say before the world that ‘we condemn?’  To lower the temperature: ‘we deplore.’  I lower still further: ‘we can’t agree’.  That was all, if only for the show, which politicians are very good at, and Guyana cursed with the best such artistes.  If they couldn’t do that, then what can they do?  What is the government afraid of, almost like death?  What froze the minds, stopped the hearts, locked the lips from the president down ?  After all the big talk and big chested bravado, I am still searching for a govt leader to say: I’m against the forced extraction of Maduro.

I wish I didn’t dislike what dances in Mr. Maduro’s eyes.  Land and gold and oil.  Mine.  The treasures that belong to every Guyanese, whether they live in Aishalton or Azerbaijan.  But what can I say about my own beloved leaders in the PPP?  When they can’t stand for anything?  Except skirt around, sneak away, play dumb, and put as much distance between themselves and the predawn lift of Pres. Maduro by force.  They are so crippled by dread that they lost touch with the English Language at the worst time.  I put before all Guyanese this national oil patrimony, long the subject of a similar hijacking, a high seas piracy, for sure.

Oil talk has been about 2% and a queasy 50-50 sharing setup.  About taxes and cleanup billions.  About the environment and related rules that are Guyana-centric.  About having real oil audits and then being transparent with them.  The cry has been for much more to come out from those, this precious national asset, than have been had from the inception.  Sanctity of contract has been brandished as the platinum standard.  It is a deception, retreating, a joke.  Sanctity of contract is a patented political farce.  Fear is in the air.  There is fear in the face and fear in every place held dear by Guyana’s political posse.  They say one word, and it’s out on their behinds.  The reinforcement of Massa and slaves.

If Pres. Ali cannot say a word against how Maduro was removed, then the same governing, crippling fear is what dictates that nothing is said or done with this great oil wealth.  Fear exposes, floors.

(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper.)

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• Caracas, GHK Lall, Maduro, oil prosperity, oil wealth

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