PPP will not improve the Stabroek Block agreement

Nov 26, 2022 Letters

Dear Editor,

I penned this letter because there is more in the mortar than the pestle. The PPP Government’s refusal to join forces with local groups advocating for change is just as bad as the Coalition signing the deal.  I am of the view that it is neither unwillingness or disinterest preventing the PPP-led government from renegotiating the 2016 Stabroek Block Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) with ExxonMobil.

The hearts of persons such as Glenn Lall and others advocating for better royalty terms, environmental safeguards, and risk mitigation, protection and compensatory measures are in the right place. However, simply advocating for a better deal without investigating why the reluctance by Vice President, Jagdeo and the PPP-led Government means that leading advocates cannot see the forest for the trees. This also means that current advocacy and other efforts for a better deal are not benefiting from potentially strategic actions and engagements with influencers (that is people and groups) in Guyana, the Diaspora, in Washington D.C. and elsewhere that could facilitate desired changes. The second why that needs to be asked and investigated, is why would the Coalition sign such a lopsided deal?

ExxonMobil and the PPP Government will never volunteer to renegotiate the lopsided deal. Glenn Lall and others can lament daily about the lopsided agreement and the PPP’s reluctance to ensure Guyana gets a better deal. These efforts however, will remain void of the type of pressure and leverage that compel the PPP Government and Exxon Mobile to sit at the renegotiation table.

Sincerely,

Chris A. Singh