Pumping at breakneck speed

Foreigners are cheering Guyana’s high acceleration programme to explore, produce,andcapitaliseonits oil bonanza. While other countries take 15 years to reach the production stage with their oil, Guyana only takes4years. Guyanamust have the wisest decision makers in the world, or it could be that those making the decisions on oil are so cluelessthattheydonoteven know the perils with which theyplay Speedhasitstime and place, when there are supporting circumstances; butspeedatthealarmingrate which Guyanese leaders have embraced is cause for dire concern. Breakneck speed means just that because it usually leads to suchahorriblesituation.

Rushing forward uncaringly at breakneck speedsisaracetodisaster,an invitation to potential tragedy of some kind, including the financial, or environmental. The odds are increased, and they are notinGuyana’sfavor When consideration is given to the fact that the biggest priority of oil companies is profits, then this only adds another worrying dimension to an already distressing set of circumstances Because when oil companies think and dream of profits, it alwaysalongtheselines:the maximum profits that could be had in the shortest time that is possible, and at the least cost. American oil supergiant ExxonMobil is a champion in this field. To makemattersevensmoother and richer for ExxonMobil, it has found the most cooperative and helpful partner that could be had anywhereintheworld,inthe form of the PPPC

Government, and its supportingcastofsellersand betrayersoftheinterestsand prospects of the Guyanese people.

Tolopoffalmost75%of the time normally required by countries to arrive at the production stage in their oil sector is an amazing achievement by any petrostate What makes matters even more unbelievable, there are the underlying circumstances, which all Guyanese, and the rest of the world, know that Guyana labors with to its tremendous disadvantage Guyana does not have the human resource capacity to oversee and handle its oil wealth to the best of its ability Guyana does not possess the technology and equipment to follow and learn the progression (ins andouts,andnutsandbolts) of its massive oil asset Guyana does not prioritize the development of updated oil laws that would empower it to stand over its oil endowment and speak with power and authority thatthisisthewayitisgoing tobe. AndGuyanadoesnot position itself, and protect itself, with the range of robust regulations that would enable it to get the most,theverybest,outofits underwater fossil fuels treasure house In the saddest of summaries, Guyana is nowhere near the level of oil wisdom, oil c a p a c i t y, a n d o i l sophistication that are all compulsory,ifthiscountryis to exploit successfully what itowns.

B u t t h e P P P C Government has made runaway speeds its standard ofmanagement,itmantraof operations Breakneck speed it is, and breakneck speediswhatitwillbe,come what may, and regardless of who says what in the local environment. This is not only dangerous, it is height of foolishness For breakneck speed when we know so little, or are such babe in the treacherous oil woods, can only be to ExxonMobil’s interests

The faster Guyana allows it andpartnerstohustleahead, themorehustles(tricks)will come to be the order of the dayinouroffshoreoilfields.

Experts gather in Trinidad and use Guyana as an example for others to follow What does Guyana know that others don’t, especially when it knows so little? Whatishappeningat thecrux,isthatleadersinthe PPPCGovernmentarebeing used and they are only too willing to play along. They are being spurred on to maintain the reckless breakneck speeds, with so manyaspectsoftheoilworld (exploration, production, marketing and sales, and the trading of oil) still largely unknown to us, and likely to our detriment.

This is more than governmental foolishness and recklessness. We call this racing forward at breakneck speeds for what they are. It is nothing but governmentalandleadership madness,andinspades.

(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and beliefs of this n e w s p a p e r a n d i t s affiliates.)

Le t m e b e incandescent in my words to follow I was trained in history when I first entered university I cherish the opportunity to write on history and to compose notes that leave questions thatmustbeansweredabout history Ihavepreservedthe willingness inside of me since I became a UG freshman in 1974 to probe the past, to examine people, places and events that need toberevisitedbecausethere may be dimensions that form gaps in history that must be filled. Revisionism is important to history if subsequent generations are spared the deceptions of the past.Ihavetriedinmylifeas an academic and media operative to be both revisionistandiconoclastic.

Ibelievetherearehidden