Are we all becoming self- righteous or Sanctimonious Gangsters again?

Dear Editor,
Every day, on reading the highlights in our Guyanese media, I become sick of the incessant call to renegotiate the oil contract with Exxon. These cries come from very qualified minds at home and abroad, and from some “talking” heads. I iterate that I am not affiliated with any political party, and I am an Afro-Guyanese who do not prescribe to the “Putin” doctrine, to make changes by brute force.
In contract law, the two most prevailing reasons for renegotiation are “fraud” and “misrepresentation of facts.” That is a tall ladder for Guyana to climb, and Exxon knows that. I read the contract, and most Guyanese should be aware that, yes, it is not the best (now), but it was the best (then), given we did not spend a (nominal) cent directly to produce a barrel of oil prior to first oil.
We are still struggling to consistently pump water to our residents in the interior from 200ft, even in Georgetown. We, the people, should renegotiate the contract between us and our Government: vote in 2025 for the best Government.
When an entity engages in a contract, it considers its risk and return, some of us are still in a Socialist mindset as to Exxon owing us something, other than the contract terms. Name three (3) other companies that can drill as deeply or safely as Exxon (20,000+ feet), and can keep Venezuela at bay.
We had our Canadian exploration CGX drilling failures, remember? That is a premium we paid. The concept of renegotiating the contract is a dead one! Wake up, folks! We do not have to be Sanctimonious Gangsters again!
How many Guyanese would be happy if their landlord should raise the rent because he or she heard they had made more money? None! How many Guyanese would agree to have the bank raise the interest rate on their mortgage or auto loan if the bank heard they had made more money now? None! Many Guyanese have bought land, only to discover 5 years later that it’s worth more now. How many would be happy if the original seller called to get more money from them 5 years later? None! Contracts have sanctity.
I applaud the current Government (Vice President) on those Local Content Amendments and its push for more philanthropic investments from Exxon and its foreign partners. They (Exxon, etc.) have large global budgets (Foundations) for this around the world. It must be a public/private partnership, and should not be a demand, but a collaborative discussion on what is best for all. It should not be additive to Guyana as oil-related expenses.
Some examples of the discussions we should be having with our partners are stated below:
1. Two new school buildings (or replacement) per year is a drop in the bucket. Do not wait for the next fire.
2. Finance the incremental delivery of textbooks/laptops annually for our schools, as needed.
3. Finance a permanent staff to keep the city clean daily (no City Council – private). Yes, Georgetown stinks to most visitors, but to some of us it’s Paradise!
4. Finance a fleet of school buses to get children to and from school daily – without the endless taxis. I see daily the confluence of students on Lombard Street (#42 buses) waiting for transportation after 5pm. What a disaster – to get home before 7pm.
5. Finance the cleaning of drains in Georgetown weekly with a private entity, to alleviate floods.
6. Help us with crime fighting tools, additional cameras throughout, and improve mobile laptop computers for our Police officers.
7. Provide us with one helicopter “on standby” for emergency and trauma care. Too many of our citizens lie on the roadways or in the interior dying because of lack of expediency. Ambulances or boats take too long. Provide us with additional, MRI, X-RAY, CTSCAN, Defibrillators throughout the country.
The list above is not intended to be comprehensive, just some ideas to stimulate discussion among ourselves, having wasted 3 years talking about renegotiating the contract. I am a fervent believer that we can build around the periphery of the existing contract, instead of spending the next 20 years talking about how bad the contract was. Let us focus on the future and the needs of our nation. Was the contract between the Government of Guyana and Exxon Aleatory?
Some of the purveyors of bad information are taking us down a black hole. Do not get sucked in, move on!

Yours respectfully
Everton D Morris