Dear Editor,
The brilliant minds of Vice President Dr Bharrat Jagdeo, HE Dr Irfaan Ali and Hon. Brigadier (ret’d) Mark Phillips, Prime Minister, I must say that I am so very proud to know that we have such exceptional leaders in this our Co-operative Republic of Guyana.
We have men and of course women of vision, class, elegance, education, morality, decency, humility and discipline.
Speaking in a release recently, it was highlighted that there have been calls by some Guyanese and institutions such as the International Energy Agency (IEA) and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) that a country like Guyana should not spend any more money on the exploration and development of fossil fuel.
I was so proud to listen to Dr. Jagdeo actually explode, saying there would be no slowing down of our oil production, as he was speaking on behalf of Guyana. He made it pellucid that, technically, they are calling for a monopoly for the existing producers, a four-trillion-dollar industry, Jagdeo said, that would protect the already rich oil producing nations.
Realistically, the IEA and IPCC are saying Guyana should put a halt on oil production. It would not go well for us, as we have our own poverty and our ambition. Guyana is a country where our people have suffered since colonisation, we have not had a chance to truly enjoy our resources bequeathed by God to the inhabitants of this land.
So, I compliment and humbly bow to the mind of Dr. Jagdeo, speaking on behalf of the Government of Guyana. If that were to happen, Saudi Arabia, The United States, Russia, Norway and Venezuela would continue to dominate global demand for fossil fuels. In the near future, this demand for fossil fuels will grow, as the world is not decarbonising the key resources of emissions as rapidly as it should, Dr. Jagdeo added.
Dr Bharrat Jagdeo so eloquently said, and I quote: “Not enough is being done to get renewable energy to meet current demand, not enough on transportation and deforestation. The world will continue to need fossil fuel, and the only people who can benefit from these are the existing producers.”
Therefore, I must applaud him for his vision, wisdom, and power to speak the truth as only Dr. Jagdeo can! It is ludicrous, in my opinion, for us to sit still and languish in poverty, lack of development and opportunities for our students and our youths, our older citizens and our entrepreneurs. We need to provide welfare support, better and greater hospitals, new industries. We also need to develop new techniques in science and industry. And especially new techniques in agriculture, like creating smart farms.
Where do they except us to get the money from? Should we go with a cap in hand and begging my neighbour policy? No! We have the resources! We have our oil, tremendous oil that will make some major producers look like pigmies!
I, Hajji Dr. Roshan Khan, sometimes wonder if these major international organisations are tools of the super powers. I am taught as a Muslim by our Creator, The Lord God of the Worlds, that if we do not use the blessings and resources given by Him unto us as a people, He will take it away and give it to another who will bring forth fruit thereof.
Therefore, if we are given resources, we must use our resources to the maximum.
I know of an Arabian story in which a wealthy man brought a large amount of money, gave it to three persons, and told them to save it for him. He said he would return one day to collect when he was ready.
After decades had passed, the man returned to the men whom he had left his money with. The first man declared that he had saved the wealthy man’s money by burying it in his backyard. He hurriedly dug up the money and handed it over. The wealthy man said to him, “Did you think the money would have grown in the earth?” He went to the second man, he had no money to return to the wealthy man, he had spent it all, and he simply had nothing left. When the wealthy man got to the third man, the third man told him that he invested his money in one business, when that business bore profits, he invested and made even more profits. “So now, all because of your money, I have become a millionaire. The third man then proceeded to return the money that the wealthy man had given him to save, along with some of the profits that it had accumulated through the investments.
The wealthy man smiled, patted him on his shoulder and told him that he did not want the money he had given to the man nor the profits. The wealthy man thought it was admirable of him to use his wits to invest the money, therefore multiplying it. The wealthy man was so impressed that he told him he was just testing the three persons that he advanced monies to.
Now that he was retiring of business and life, he wanted the third man who invested the money to have everything that he owned, as he was going off to worship his Lord and spend his last days. The moral of the story is, do not leave money idling, doing nothing. So, if we have our resources, we must use them for the development of our people and our country.
Dr. Jagdeo, President Irfaan Ali, Prime Minister Mark Phillips, please let us use our resources to develop our country. I have a personal viewpoint, Excellencies: If the IEA and the IPCC don’t want us to explore and invest in our oils and natural resources, would they give us what we would have made, so that our people could have the good life? In that regard, we could afford to leave the earth intact with all the resources intact. In that way, they would actually be financing our growth and our development.
Once again, congratulations to the Government of Guyana, and particularly former Excellency Dr Bharrat Jagdeo for so powerfully educating those who want to monopolise oil in the world, or the world’s top producers should invest and give us a large portion of wealth that they have acquired. Then this way we could safely agree with the IEA and the IPCC, as our people and our country could develop.
Sincerely,
Roshan Khan Snr
