…or masochism?
On the day after our Muslim brothers and sisters re-enacted and re-affirmed the attitude of sacrifice, mankind ought to adopt towards God – it might be opportune for the rest of us to reflect on our attitude towards our country. With us being such a multi-religious land, there are so many divergent ways in which we may relate to God, maybe we can at least agree on a common stance towards our motherland? After all, we’re all just “Guyanese”, no?
But your Eyewitness has to confess – it takes a strong stomach to look around at what’s being inflicted on our country right now. It’s almost masochistic to even consider it. “Rape” and “plunder” immediately come to mind. There isn’t a day that goes by and there isn’t another report of somebody or other from one or the other level of government – or government-owned entity – committing an atrocity to the motherland. Even GECOM!
Just now there was a letter indicating serious graft going on in GPL when it comes to handing out even petty jobs. The mind boggles when one thinks of what goes on at higher levels. The dust still hasn’t been settled on the rape of the Executive compensation packages. Last word we got was after replacing the previous chairman with one of his controversial deputies; the latter was sacked but just got a million pay-out. Yet, for the ordinary Guyanese citizen, the blackouts continue unabated.
At the local government level – after the much heralded elections that was going to return “power to the people” – the graft and thieving continues with renewed vigour. The press has been flooded with reports of criminal behaviour from the Regions. Thieving hospital equipment is only the half of it! About Georgetown, the biggest Municipality… what can your Eyewitness say that hasn’t already been said? Suffice it to say, the Gang of Four at City Hall seems to believe in that medieval technique of curing the city of its ailments – bleeding with leeches. For the next 20 years – with the right to renewal for another 20 – Georgetown will be bled by a leech called Smart City Solutions on their parking contract.
But it’s at the Central Government level that the callous plundering of the country has reached its zenith (or nadir?). Just the Pharmagate contract gonna set us back 0M – and the inevitable “out of court” settlement that’s ahead isn’t even included. Then there was the billion dollar expended on Jubilee Park? Did we get bang for the buck? And don’t you for one moment shed a tear about the “private donation” from a “businessman”.
That businessman’s been well rewarded many, many times over, thank you!
…on oil as saviour
A lot of folks in the government are betting (and praying?) that the offshore oil will save them come 2020. They shouldn’t be putting all their eggs in THAT basket and start hedging their bets. Why? Well our deep sea oil doesn’t justify pumping it out below US$54/barrel and right now it doesn’t look like apart from a few occasional spurts we’re going to break out from under US$50/barrel in a long while.
Why? The sad truth is in, oil production isn’t being pushed by good, old supply and demand. Capital’s what’s driving the gush of black gold. And right now with US shale oil production providing what’s considered a safe haven for oil industry capital, as soon as prices drop, capital rushes in like something you’ve never seen. Everyone and their Texan uncle want to buy low so they can sell high.
Rigs increase during the period of the temporary uptick, production increase and we have the inevitable drop in prices.
Let’s stop counting eggs and start producing some.
…on BaiShanLin
As he sees the BaiShanLin drama playing out, your Eyewitness wonders if the nationalisation of Bauxite assets of the then dominant superpower’s being replayed.
Knock got knock back!
