I pick up my pen again relative to the pending Guyana chapter of BBC World Questions. I all but placed Budget Minister Dr. Ashni Singh on a pedestal. In contrast, the lukewarm was how I dealt with some other Guyanese of distinction, who ought to be shoo-ins for that upcoming BBC question-and-answer session. As before, I focus only on the nation’s oil, oil money, and general oil stewardship; developments in Venezuela and the issue of regional security are left for another day. I now move to remedy from different directions my lapses.
In the previous writing on the question of fair distribution Guyana’s unprecedented massive inflows of oil revenues, Dr. Singh was seen as a solid choice, the government hand that is best equipped to present this nation’s oil story. I stay with that given his involvement and familiarity with how the oil numbers are crunched and allocated (commingled for a reason, too) to various sectors in Guyana’s economy. Did I do an injustice to sitting Energy Minister, Mr. Vickram Bharrat? The question has much to do with oil, and if his portfolio tells the story of his responsibility, then it makes sense for him to be a part of the panel. He must be in the forefront of the foreign media questioner; and face the music from the local ones in attendance. He shouldn’t be steered away from the spotlight, the heat of real honest questions.
I have a good one, and it surprises that the once fearless BBC, internationally recognized for its straight-up standards, didn’t think it was of the highest value. The question is why is the PPP Govt turning its back on the Exxon oil contract, one that it has itself denounced as a tragedy (and in less civil and more caustic terms)? Why leave that heinous Exxon oil contract alone, when it pits sections of Guyanese against others, and leaves them fighting bitterly over the crumbs from that same enslaving document? There is appreciation that the BBC of today is not the same BBC as the one from yesteryear, but there is more in the mortar.
Guyanese should know that powerful Western governments have used Christian missionaries in the past for their covert engagements, to push forward their agendas. If men and women of God for low tricks, then the media doesn’t look too off-limits for such work in Guyana. Why push a government that is now accustomed to being unchallenged when it is the sole decisionmaker relative to the doling out of this country’s oil business? In other words, ask the real hard questions that rattle the cage of leaders and make them see red, and that could be the end. End of any potential commercial opportunities for the country from which that pesky and intrusive media entity originated. The BBC is as British as they come, almost on par with Yorkshire pudding, Devonshire cream, and the monarchy. Food for thought for interested citizens, those considering the authenticity behind the BBC World Questions moment about to touchdown in Guyana. From the BBC, reflect back to September and international electoral observers. Note how they skirted around the issue of elections credibility.
From questions, and the asking of them, I proceed to the issue of the Guyanese personnel around the question(s). I previously commented on the absence of Dr. Terrence Campbell, PNC parliamentary leader, from the panel. I now ask about the absence of Anand Persaud, editor-in-chief of Stabroek News that has been torpedoed by the government of Dr. Ashni Singh. And Mr. Chris Ram, chartered accountant and attorney-at-law, who has written volumes on many of the money sides of all. Often, both Guyanese have taken that Exxon oil contract and skewered it. When oil contributors of their caliber are left out from the BBC’s World Questions forum in Guyana, I draw three interpretations.
One: Dr. Singh is going to have a field day, plus some neighborly help around the table of discussion, to steamroll whoever stands against him. Two: there is the scent of a fixup and dress-up in the BBC’s presence and arrangements; and what it probably caved-in to, given the stakes involved. And three: when there is the sense that a fair and straight and trusted conversation is in store over the biggest substance in Guyana, those who think so couldn’t be more wrong. Thus, a charade crumples into a heap before taking its first breath and first step.
