Counting…

…barrels and ignoring tanking
Some folks are so fixated with looking at just what’s in front of their noses that they’ll end up with eggs on their faces pretty soon. One economic analyst, who writes in this paper, bigged up Trotman for hinting that his PNC-led APNU/AFC Govt might reject the advice his hired foreign expert offered on the suggested refinery; that Guyana’d be losing its shirt on such a proposition.
The analyst seems to’ve forgotten that Trotman was only talking about a refinery to offer his supporters hopes of jobs in the offing. Notice: Trotman doesn’t even mention that if his pie-in-the-sky refinery were to materialise through some fairy waving a wand, at MAX, there won’t be more than 600 jobs created! Not even 10% of the jobs to be lost in sugar!! Anyhow, back to the figures the analyst threw out to justify the refinery: it’s clear he should refine his numbers!!
He was outraged the “expert” was talking about a 100,000 bpd refinery. Starting from Exxon’s claim their production would be 100,000bpd, the analyst figured Exxon’d be getting 40,000b up front to amortise their costs. That is 40% of production @US/barrel. Wherever in the world did he get that figure? Didn’t he read Trotman’s revelations that they’ve allowed Exxon to take UP TO 75%? Why would Exxon not take the max?? That’s what they’ve done in every oil play they’ve been involved in. What makes us special? Our ‘frontier” status, as they’ve described us?? That just means we’re a bunch of hicks in the sticks!!
Now, after Exxon takes its 75%, that leaves us with 25,000b to split down the middle; which is just 12,500bpd to refine. Since the analyst agrees with Trotman that the decision on a refinery isn’t necessarily an “economic” one – but is ultimately “political” – your Eyewitness wonders why he castigated Jagdeo for POSSIBLY making a political decision on Skeldon??
But, more germanely, while your Eyewitness can excuse Trotman’s ignorance about what’s going down in the oil refinery business as it relates to the biggest product – gasoline – what the analyst’s excuse? Projections in gasoline usage were driven by the presumed market in Asia – mainly China and India. Didn’t he know China’s now committing that electric vehicles would account for at least one-fifth of the 35 million annual vehicle sales projected by 2025?
And, even more extraordinarily, India’s heading towards electrifying ALL vehicles in the country by 2032.
And let’s not forget that Tesla’s electrifying the car market in the States. Shouldn’t the analyst be encouraging the PNC-led APNU/AFC government to move ahead with AFHEP, so we, too, can take advantage of electric cars??
But that might smack of “supporting” Jagdeo. Gasp!!

…judicial bloody noses
Your Eyewitness is a mite confused at the Chancellor’s statement: “she never stated that the Attorney General owes no apology. She said the matter is settled in court.” This is being quite disingenuous on a matter in which Basil Williams told one of her judges “I’ll take to you any way I damn well please!”
Justice Holder wrote HER, as the head of the Judiciary, informing her of the background and of his intended action — to deny Basil Williams opportunity to plead in his court if Williams does not apologise. And what does the Chancellor do?? Send the letter to President Granger and Basil Williams!! Your Eyewitness is still in shock! This betrays a fundamental breach of her JUDICIAL responsibilities!
The Chancellor is head of the JUDICIARY. Granger is head of the EXECUTIVE. The Judiciary is guardian of the Constitution, to ensure the Executive doesn’t step out of line. Granger states unequivocally that his man Williams didn’t do anything that calls for an apology.
And what does the Chancellor do? Dance between the raindrops!!!

…bodies after the execution
The dust still hasn’t settled over the dust-up created after the Parliamentary Sectoral Committee was denied access into the GHPC’s Pharma Bond and the head of Security’s been axed, a doctor’s been pressured out, and this is just the beginning!