Let us not deny the fact that without western technology, the oil in Guyana’s waters would have been buried for a long time to come.
Therefore, Exxon’s presence must be welcomed. Plus their financing was essential to the success of such a project.
But even in light of all of this gratitude to Exxon, it cannot negate the fact that the Production Sharing Agreement should have been shared with the Guyana Parliament within days of signing. Fortunately, good sense prevailed, and this Agreement is no longer a State secret?
On page 28 of the APNU/AFC manifesto, Team Granger promised the people then to work with international companies to develop Guyana’s mineral resources towards “increasing the well-being and happiness of Guyanese citizens in a manner that is transparent and equitable”. There is nothing transparent and equitable about hiding this Agreement and the people’s US$18 million from them. Such behaviour by the members of Team Granger more aptly resembles hypocrisy, deceit and executive “cockishness” of the lowest class.
What Mr. Granger has failed to realise is that the 2011 elections have created a new breed of people who will not tolerate, in any shape or form, any act of financial skullduggery from any Government of Guyana. Thus that foolishness his regime tried by attempting to hide the US$18 million and the associated Agreement should be a lesson to his entire Team: Guyana is all “awee own”, and does not belong to the “Granger cabal” only.
Thus he may have the brawn, but there are enough brains in the “rational middle” to checkmate him every time. And every time he is checkmated, his credibility among the youths (who constitute some 65% of the population) is blown to smithereens. He must be made aware of this fact because, without the youths, there will not be any PNC President after 2020. Thus only a political idiot would want to throw away his credibility on such issues, unless that person has a PLAN BAHAMAS that has designs on stealing the people’s patrimony.
All this nonsense about revealing the terms of the contract and the existence of this US$18 million would adversely affect our national security is just utter poppycock from some very intellectually bankrupt men. If it were not for people like Chris Ram and other patriotic Guyanese who had to almost “pull teeth” using the Court system, the Guyanese people would have still been in the dark on their Agreement and their money if Team Granger was allowed to have its own way. KUDOS to these great Guyanese!
Let me make it clear: Guyana has the moral high ground on the Venezuela/Guyana border controversy. Therefore, President Granger can expect support from all of us in the rational middle on this border dispute. So there is no need for his Team to act so shiftily on this Agreement and this money. Looking at the geography of the area and it logically proves that the land and water are ours. So all this gerrymandering from Team Granger that they had to keep these secrets to protect our territorial integrity exposes their delirium. It is only a matter of time before an International Arbitration Tribunal proves Guyana’s case correct, and if we have to spend US$30 million or US$100 million to permanently settle this matter once and for all, so what? All of Guyana will back any Government of Guyana that takes this matter to the International Court. So I am at a loss why Team Granger has to create this unnecessary mask around this issue.
But let us not follow Mr. Granger into deluding ourselves that our national security will be compromised if this contract and this sign-on bonus were revealed. Only a demented or a corrupt mind will want to sell such a position as a means to mask an illegal act. The facts remain that if Venezuela wants to be immoral and invade Guyana, no “Granger or Pranger” can stop them. Not even diplomatic effort can prevent such military action. Only the military might of America will be able to put these belligerent “Maduro-ites” in their place. The thinkers in the Venezuelan army know very well that the Americans are prepared to use Guyana as the guinea pig to morally seize the high ground and bring balance to the political situation in Venezuela once and for all. So let Senor Maduro try!
So I find the position of Team Granger very immoral as they try to milk a non-issue as the reason to swindle the nation. But it is never too late, and finally we have the Production Sharing Agreement, thanks to the work of people like Chris Ram and the political opposition.
