Dear Editor,
Would it not be refreshing to see the following as a press release from APNU or the coalition government in relation to the recently published report by Global Witness?
“…. APNU press release in relation to the recently published Global Witness report on Guyana.
Guyana is starting its oil & gas industry from scratch, and it is likely we will make some mistakes and have to learn along the way.
In this vein, we welcome the interest that Global Witness has showed in Guyana’s burgeoning oil & gas industry, and recognise that this organisation has been at the forefront of anti-corruption drives in the international oil & gas industry.
We have yet to review the findings and recommendations of the report, but in the meantime, we would like to state the following:
– It is the intention of our government to ensure the Guyanese people get the maximum benefit possible from their oil & gas.
– We recognise corruption and dereliction of duty by officials as threats, and we will deal with these threats, even if they arise within our own government.
– We will use the findings of the report, and other information, to make our own assessment regarding possible corruption, and any need to revisit oil awards and contracts.
– We are somewhat surprised that the report came out only weeks before a general election, but we note the report questions some actions of the previous government, as
well as some actions of our government. So we assume the timing of the release was not meant to influence the elections.
– We encourage Guyanese to examine the messages in the report for truth, instead of being distracted by criticisms of the messenger. Global Witness is a reputable international anti-corruption organisation with an established history of exposing unfair transactions that exploit ordinary citizens.
We ask Guyanese to recognise the infancy of our industry, and the need to get it off on the right track, and also recognise our country’s history of mismanaging natural resources, and the uphill battle needed to remedy how we handle our resources, especially oil.
Again, we are at a turning point for Guyana, and we welcome all the help we can get in creating a new Guyana. …”
And what might be an appropriate press release from the PPP, and might it acknowledge the issues with the Canje and Kaieteur Blocks? I am not holding my breath for either press release, but I believe the chances for reason are slightly higher from the APNU than from the PPP.
Yours faithfully,
Dr Jan Mangal
