…in Guyana
As we slouch towards Good Friday and Easter, having just meditated on the meaning of Holi and its exuberant colour, your Eyewitness noticed the anti-Govt naysayers intensifying bashing of the gas-to-shore project. There was another letter in the press from a “Dr Jailall – who’d previously announced his expertise in “education”.
Lacking expertise in engineering or related fields, it does mean that he’s pretty much dependent on canned generic accounts on the subject trawled from the web. This is borne out by the headlines he cited to back up his claim that VP Jagdeo was talking through his hat when he asserted that the project “was a no-brainer”, yet went on to laboriously develop the non sequitur, “It’s a no-brainer – Guyana can renegotiate all oil deals.”
All of that to drip sarcasm on the use of the phrase “it’s a no-brainer”? Renegotiating the oil contracts has nothing to do with the gas-to-shore project! So let’s unpack the two cause Celebes starting with the renegotiation. So, the Government tells Exxon: “We want to renegotiate!” And Exxon replies, “No can do! Go look at Article 32 of the contract Raphael Trotman signed on behalf of the GoG. This so-called “Stability Clause says: “Except as may be expressly provided herein, the Government shall not amend, modify, rescind, terminate, declare invalid or unenforceable, require renegotiation of, compel replacement or substitution or otherwise seek to avoid alter, or limit this agreement without the prior written consent of the contractor.””.
And that this clause further goes on to state that if the GoG does anything adverse to the company from the contract, the latter can go to arbitration. Does the good Doctor want to take a chance on this…since the Arbitrator can award damages to the company? Thought not!
On the gas-to-shore project, didn’t the VP say he’d be presenting the feasibility studies on both the location and the investment, before proceeding? Your Eyewitness believes that these armchair “experts” have absolutely no idea of what’s going on with the community in Wales after the PNC shuttered the sugar factory. It’s devastation, plain and simple. If they did, maybe they’d echo the original weeping Prophet Jeremiah: “I will weep and wail for the mountains and take up a lament concerning the wilderness grasslands. They are desolate and untravelled, and the lowing of cattle is not heard. The birds have all fled and the animals are gone.”
The Government appears committed to killing several birds with the big stone of our natural gas generating power for the next 30 years. Those who want to save the planet should speak to the big emitters.
Our forests will cover our increased emissions!
…needed for COVID response
Last Phagwa weekend, the people just absolutely refuse to take the basic precautions like social distancing, wearing masks and (God forbid!) washing hands. You’d hardly suspect that we’re in the midst of the greatest pandemic the world has witnessed in the past century – and our numbers of infected and deaths were rising exponentially. Maybe we should “call for the mourning women to come; send for the skilled women to come; let them quickly raise a dirge over us, so that our eyes may run down with tears, and our eyelids flow with water.”
And you can’t blame the “authorities”. Starting with the President, the entire Government reiterated the need to play Phagua sensibly. Meaning at the minimum, to wear masks. They all went out and didn’t just “tell”, but “showed”. In fact, the callous and opportunistic PNC seized upon the announcements to criticise President Ali for shutting down “the Hindu festival of Holi”, because he’s a Muslim!
Yes…you can’t go lower than a snake!
…for cricket
Your Eyewitness is calling upon the members of CWI – meaning the Boards of our various territories –- to stop Skerritt from playing dirty pool and get on with the elections for the Chair!
Let’s see what Guyana can do!
