Dear Editor,
You wonder what dunce advisors are advising the PPP Government. First, they defeated an APNU+AFC motion calling for quick payment of new employees in the public service. In a country where people live paycheck to paycheck, why would you not want people to be paid at the end of the first month? Is that rocket science to do? Then they defeated the APNU+AFC motion calling for urgent debate on corruption allegations against Vice President Jagdeo that he may have had improper associations with Chinese middlemen who have access to him. Does the PPP Government, hanging by a thread of one seat, think this issue will go away between now and 2025?
Not to be outdone, the PPP Government, acting like puppets and agents of the oil companies, also defeated the Opposition motion piloted by MP Patterson calling for full unlimited liability coverage for oil spills and other disasters related to petroleum production. The Motion also called for the Government of Guyana to conduct an independent analysis on the possible ill effects of an oil spill, and present this report to the Parliamentary Committee on Natural Resources to be used as a reference for all other future oil development submissions. This motion finds favour with Civil Society groups which have been calling for the strongest environmental protection as we develop oil. We also have such obligation by virtue of our membership in the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) and the Escazu Agreement. For a Government spouting the “One Guyana” slogan every turn they have a chance, they have shut out the voice of half of Guyana. Regardless of whether you think the PNC are corrupt cheats and riggers, they do represent half of the country. All Lives Matter! If you shut out and shut up parliamentary debate and ignore good suggestions from the other side, it seems as if you are forcing the Opposition to ultimately resort to street action for which it is known, in which innocent people, especially Indians, are likely to be collateral damage for the PPP. The PPP thinks they must not listen to or take any suggestions from the PNC who are bad, bad people. Isn’t that what the PNC did too when they committed the original sin by signing a secret contract without parliamentary involvement? And they also hid the US$18 million signing bonus for oil? If both sides behave the same, are the PPP and PNC not two sides of the same coin? How do we mature politically as a nation? When will the gridlock end?
In the article, “Govt. kills Motion for full coverage liability for oil spills” (KN, July 23, 2022), it pointed out that it took 154 days since the Motion was filed that a four-hour debate was finally allowed by the Speaker of the House. MP Patterson said there was emasculation of his Motion, since 13 of his 20 clauses were removed, while two were amended.
Mr. Patterson said oil production in offshore Guyana is expected to increase rapidly, from its current rate of about 300,000 barrels of oil per day to close to 1 million barrels per day soon. He said this may pose additional threats of oil spills off Guyana’s coasts and the CARICOM region, bringing his Motion of liability coverage into focus.
In response, the PPP’s computer guy Minister Bharrat said that the administration is aware of how devastating an oil spill can be, hence provisions have been made to ensure such an activity does not occur. Even if it does, he assured that the oil company has been required to import a capping stack to lay on standby, in the event of such an occurrence. This seems to be a naïve view that a capping stack, which is a piece of equipment that is used to place over a blown out well as a cap to prevent further damage that may have been caused, is all that is needed to deal with oil spills. Dr. Jagan had coined a term, “square peg in round holes” to describe some PNC appointments. Ditto for the PPP.
The PPP’s MP Datadin, whom I had placed in my list of “smart people” said there are “undesirables” when it comes to full unlimited insurance coverage. According to him, “it makes the project itself expensive, it is likely to slow down the pace of growth, thereby affecting jobs and revenue to the country. Not only does it cost us revenue to pay for this policy, this unlimited insurance, not only do we have a cost incurred for that, but we actually lose revenue because we are going to go slower. It makes projects that would otherwise be acceptable and financially viable to be no longer financially viable.” Not to be outdone, PPP Minister Benn told Patterson that filing such a Motion in the House was “… a complete waste of time and the honourable Member Patterson should be ashamed of himself…” The PPP’s Minister Indar argued that the Motion seeking full liability coverage was “meant to drive investors away from Guyana… I suspect and I believe that this motion is designed to chase people out of this country. Literally chase people out of this country.”
The PPP in effect were saying, “We don’t want full insurance coverage for oil spills.” Nation, can you believe that? Even Exxon would not make such silly arguments coming from the Government’s side! It is bad when foreign companies rob you. It is worse when your own Government says it’s OK to screw the country. It is clear this PPP Government is the middleman for the oil companies, and it is determined to continue the sellout of our largest natural resource. It’s the PPP and oil companies on one side versus the people of Guyana. Every leverage point available to it has not been used. It’s a day of shame that the PPP will do this to our country while our working people live from paycheck to paycheck. Nation, we must not rest until this government renegotiates the oil contracts and blocks all loopholes that Civic Society groups have identified, including strict environmental protection. It’s our country and our wealth, and we must care. Wake up Guyana!
Sincerely,
Dr. Jerry Jailall