Demand a bigger slice of the cake

Apr 18, 2026 Letters

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Dear Editor,

My letter titled, “Foreign mining, local economic strain” published in the independent media, on April 11, 2026 stated as follows: “why are we encouraging, or more appropriately sponsoring companies to come and explore, or perhaps the better term is to exploit, our gold and our people? With oil and gas, and existing gold companies operating in Guyana, why would a sane, sensible and incorruptible government, with fanfare, bring in more people to harvest our gold, this is beyond belief.”

Some folks have accused me of deliberately frustrating the development of Guyana. Those persons are missing the central issue, which is our failure to stand up like men, and not mice. And the question of absorbability.

I stand by every word in my letter. Unless our government undergoes a policy metamorphosis, in spite of the boast of being the fastest growing economy, we will supervise over the re-colonisation of our country, by the same mindset that saw nothing wrong with the cruelty of slavery, an inhumane system which lasted for centuries with the tacit cooperation of African chiefs. A situation where our children and grandchildren will curse us for this regression and a betrayal of the suffering and sacrifice of our noble ancestors.

I write because I was part of the struggle for Independence, in the midst of the Cold War. I write because I share the views of former president Donald Ramotar, that we can only give strength to this generation if we learn more of our history. I write because oil is relatively new, but gold, for example, is not, and we should not forget the efforts of the earlier pioneers “Ocean Shark, Tengar, Frederick Mahaica, and Wesley Baird”. I write because we must not let down those who struggled for freedom, and the right to benefit from the Creator’s bounty. I write to honour those who fought for freedom; Cuffy, Akrabe, Enmore Martyrs, Hubert Nathaniel Critchlow, Cheddi Jagan and Forbes Burnham.

I unquestionably stand by my lifelong advocacy of policies for attracting foreign investors; but only if inclusive of the moral condition that the interest of the people of Guyana come first, where any and all such investments must be fair, equitable, and protective of the nation’s health, safety, and the environment.

Contrastingly, the evidence is crystal clear that the current Government has unfortunately failed on all counts when it comes to looking out for the best interest of its people; rather giving the appearance that satisfying the wishes of those who come to mine, and manage our natural resources, are of primary concern.

Just in case you don’t accept what I say because of what you may deem to be political bias, then please heed the words of Guyana’s highly respected Honourable Judge Sandil Kissoon, who looked at all of the evidence concerning the relationship between the Government and Exxon in the landmark oil spill liability case, and concluded in his Ruling for the people and against Exxon and the Government, that “the Government has abdicated the exclusive statutory responsibilities entrusted to it”, and “acted in unison with Exxon which is engaged in a course of action made permissible only by the omissions of a derelict, pliant, and submissive Government”.

As a reminder, notwithstanding the irrefutable lopsided oil contract with Exxon taking 86% of the revenues compared to Guyana’s 14%, the Government cancelled the requirement put in place by the coalition government stipulating that Exxon be responsible for the full financial liability of any and all oil spills. This triggered a lawsuit with Judge Kissoon’s landmark Decision in favour of the people, only to see the Government astoundingly going all the way to the Caribbean Court of Justice to be allowed to join Exxon in the appeal against the people, putting the nation at the risk of financial bankruptcy and environmental catastrophe. Believe it, or not.

Further, in an affront to the nation’s environmental regulations, the Government allows Exxon to produce oil way above the safe limits with no full liability coverage for an oil spill; to dump billions of barrels of very hot, toxic, radioactive and oil laced produced water into the pristine ocean, killing millions of fish eggs; and to flare billions of cubic feet of toxic produced gases into the air to create health problems, acid rain and global warming. Believe it, or not.

Dear Editor and people of Guyana young and old, all I ask is for a little bigger slice of the cake. Guyana “wake up and smell the coffee”.

Sincerely,

Elder Hamilton Green 

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• Foreign mining, Hamilton Green, Letters, Oil and Gas

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