We must aim to ensure that our resources are used sustainably
DEAR EDITOR,
Kaieteur News – Since announcing that Guyana would become an oil-producing nation, I have repeatedly called for local stakeholder engagement in determining a way forward. It was hoped that such engagement would realize mechanisms being put in place to guide local content policy, programs and laws to ensure that the industry is managed for the benefit of society. Instead, this nation remains subject to politicians who cannot put aside their differences for the common good.
Today the nation is facing not only the calls for renegotiating oil contracts and the transparency of ownership of those oil blocks, but our health and environment are facing existential threats. The continuing torching by ExxonMobil threatens our welfare but yet the government has taken a resignation stance by telling us they are “hamstrung,” they are incapable of holding the company to account. No government is rendered null and void unless it chooses to be.
The Government is ultimately responsible for the country, its Unique Economic Zone, the business environment, and the welfare of the citizens. Any government understanding and respect of these principles would move with alacrity to bring in recalcitrant businesses that threaten the welfare of the citizens and the environment.
Irfaan Ali’s regime makes excuses not to act to arrest the problem and protect us from further harm. They have taken a policy stance of inaction ie, not to do anything, and we are asked to accept what Exxon says the “hope” problem will be resolved by April. The quantification by scientists of the damage done to the nation between January and April is worrying.
ExxonMobil is an International Corporation that is not immune to its reputation. The company has previously been held accountable by scientists, employees, governments and even their own shareholders for engaging in environmental best practices. There is nothing stopping the government, other than its own reluctance to act, to meet with Exxon leaders and / or excite internationally to rectify this situation. They roll over and accept that Guyanese must endure for four months, and they expect us to accept this suffering with resignation. It is unacceptable.
Dr. Vincent Adams has been deeply contemptuous of Guyana’s control of the industry, including holding the former coalition administration he appointed as accountable to challenging standards consistent with international best practice. As he continues to weigh up what we are doing wrong, and could do better, we must take it seriously given his knowledge, international experience and track record in the industry. Although his expert view in the field is that the government is not “hamstrung” to act, I am too convinced, based on the government’s duty and responsibility to a nation and its people that the government can act to arrest the problem.
It is only a year since Guyana became an oil producing nation. The disasters we experience from a company in the business should not be expected for years and it has a Consent Decree with another government / nation to reduce the amount of waste gas that is flamed in that environment. Exxon can do better and must be held to such standards.
The Government of Guyana cannot continue to take a do-nothing approach because they expose us to a bleak future. Flagging poses a clear and present danger to Sustainable Development and a Green Economy to which Guyana is committed by being a signatory to the 2015 United Nations Climate Agreement. Now is the time to put aside partisanship, which steered by political and ethnic tribal immaturity.
We must put Guyana and Guyanese first in the face of ongoing threats from external forces benefiting from internal divisions. I repeat the call to Government, the Opposition (including the main opposition), civil society, trade union (GTUC, FITUG and non-affiliated), and all stakeholders to put our heads together in a national discourse to formulate policy, programs and laws of this industry that cut across generally accepted interests. We must aim to ensure that our resources are sustainably exploited and that this generation bequeaths to future generations a better society.
Lincoln Lewis