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Dear Editor,
Palestine (including Gaza) is supposed to be a sovereign place with the Palestinians running their own affairs. Instead of having independence and freedom, Israel completely dominates and controls the territory. Isn’t the same thing happening to us in a different way?
Powerful nations and companies are dominating poor nations and poor people. Isn’t Exxon dominant over environmental and energy affairs in our country? Doesn’t it get and does what it wants in Guyana? Can Exxon do the same thing in US, Canada, and Europe?
A foreign company LINDSAYCA/CH4 got a contract to build a power generating plant. Very little work has been done on the project. The country is suffering constant black outs. Hundreds of millions of dollars of electrical equipment have been destroyed and GPL has not compensated anyone. Lives are disrupted. Transformers go off; fires get started.
Black outs can be easily addressed. Why doesn’t Lindsayca get a barge to produce electricity to address immediate short term needs until such time that the power plant has been constructed and started producing electricity? The entire country is suffering from blackouts because of bad decisions from GPL and a government official who instructed the purchase of second hand generators that can’t produce the capacity to meet needs.
Instead of acquiring second hand generating plants from Trinidad, GPL should have purchased new (Japanese) generators which were (are) cheaper and more efficient than the used ones and would have produced more electricity than demand.
On government sovereignty, how much what is happening in Palestine different from say Exxon’s behavior in Guyana? Israel has destroyed Gaza Strip and rendered it as well as the rest of the Palestinian territory (state) stateless.
The people of Palestine are helpless and completely dominated by the Israeli government and lack the capacity to respond to the firepower of the Israelis; they have no political rights. And their constitutional as well as human rights are violated beyond documentation. Aren’t similar things happening to us? Isn’t the government subservient to foreign companies including those control oil and gas, agriculture, and other sectors?
A Brazilian company was granted hundreds of thousands of acres of land but Guyanese can’t get house lots or land for agriculture.
Isn’t the government acting powerless towards multinationals? Aren’t politicians, political parties, governments, and even organizations (NGOs) behaving like they are owned by Exxon and other foreign companies?
Exxon has been spreading its tentacles over the government and opposition figures. The giant multinational controls key individuals in the government. Government seems helpless and the key figures who run the government dance to the tune of the large company. Maybe they even ask Exxon what to do or how to run the energy Ministry (oil and gas development). Why was the audit compromised? At a minimum, Exxon could have turned over the audit records. But it has failed to do so.
Only the court can save Guyana from corrupt politicians who instruct and direct officials of government agencies how to do their job even when such acts violate the law as courts recently ruled in environmental court challenges.
The court (a few judges) is saluted for its integrity on judicial matters involving state sovereignty and the environment, ruling in favor of the people against corrupt politicians and violation of environmental acts. It is hoped the court will also take an independent law-abiding position on the audit of multinationals like Exxon so that Guyana can recover money it lost (some US$211 M) through terrible acts of officials.
One person who gave away $107M (at the instruction of higher officials) received a slap in the wrist, a petty fine, for being the fall guy for giving away money that can give half a million dollar to every poor family.
On integrity and adhering to the constitution and lawful practices, what is happening at LINDSAYCA/CH4? The Dominican company with close links to two powerful government officials is pursuing arbitration on a contract (gas power plant) recently awarded to it. What is the VP’s position on that matter?
Lindsayca/CH4 is also being considered for the oil refinery project. Why is it being considered for another major project when it has not completed the first one as yet? Is the VP giving his approval?
Lindsayca/CH4 has not done any significant work on the power plant in spite of receiving some payment. Yet it has gone to court for arbitration over a minor dispute in order to extract funds. Will there be a settlement against the country’s financial interests?
Is there any conflict of interest between Lindsayca with two or more government officials (one of who is Miami based and is known for corrupt acts)? Is the company going to arbitration to extract more money while holding the country to ransom.
Guyanese are suffering endless black outs and damage to household electrical equipment as a result of the company’s action and anti-national interests involving a few government officials.
Companies that are not working in the interest of Guyana are being awarded contracts for projects that are essential for the future development of the country. Several of these companies are not working in the best interests of the country. No company should be awarded a second contract until it finishes the first and has demonstrated competence and capability.
Yours truly,
Rudesh Jodha Baksh
