Dear Editor,
The people of Guyana must now come out and boldly say “No to Payara & yes to renegotiation”. We know that the Coali-tion (previous administration) cannot come out and openly complain about the contracts they have signed. It would also appear that the current administration has skeletons which have also compromised them and now they are about to approve the Payara project without consulting the people.
The Bayphase report has not been made available to the public. The Cana-dian report has also not been made available. The draft of the Licence Agreement for the Payara well currently under discussion is also not available.
The oil belongs to the people of Guyana. All the people. Not just the President and his Vice President and Ministers and the parliamentarians. All the people; all 750,000 of us. It is now up to us to make our voices heard. Now before the granting of another licence agreement. Now; when the US Secretary of State will be here. Our voices must be heard all the way to Washington. Our position must be remembered all the way to the next elections.
If the politicians in government (both the PPP/C and the Coalition) will not organize us to protest, then we the people must do so on our own; quietly and peacefully. We should not let the politicians leave us out when it comes to our future; the future of our children and our grandchildren. We must let our voices be heard.
The impending visit of Mr. Pompeo, the US Secretary of State is the perfect opportunity for the people to let their voices be heard. I am suggesting that the people on their own prepare sets of placards which they will use wherever the US Secretary of State shows up.
1. Welcome to Guyana – Friend
2. Say No to Payara – Yes to Re-Negotiation
3. Be Fair to Guyana
4. Have a Nice Visit
After 70 years of self-rule, we have managed to empower a set of politicians who are primarily serving only their own interests. There is nothing to indicate that the current crop of politicians are prepared to go to the mat for the people. The people must now speak over the heads of the politicians.
Yours faithfully,
Sase Shewnarain