Oil money has made the Govt. ‘power drunk’

Dec 19, 2022 News

…protecting oil company while creating second class citizens – Former EPA boss

Kaieteur News – Veteran Petroleum Engineer and former Head of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Dr. Vincent Adams has called out the Guyana Government for exhibiting signs of a ‘power drunk’ Administration now backed by oil revenue.

Former Head of EPA, Dr. Vincent Adams

Adams has argued that the Government has failed to adequately protect citizens and the oil sector but is nonchalantly allowing the oil companies to break the laws and disregard standards customary to oil operations. Adams in a presentation during an Alliance for Change (AFC) Press Conference on Friday last said that the Government is being emboldened by the increased revenue from the oil resource and has already started to treat citizens poorly. The AFC had pointed to actions committed by the Government which they believe are infringing on the democratic fabric of the country. One incident involved the recent arrest of Georgetown Mayor, Ubraj Narine and Opposition Member, Sherod Duncan, who were further charged for inciting racial hostility.

The AFC has accused the Government of using the Police to silence freedom of speech since among what was reportedly, said by the Mayor was whether President Irfaan Ali did not want to meet with him because he is Hindu. The entire episode started however, over the removal of vending stalls within the vicinity of the main hospital In Georgetown.

Adams opined however, that while the Government is going after citizens for using their right to speak, it is allowing Exxon to become the country’s new colonial master. He explained that there are a number of issues currently affecting the oil sector. He said to date workers on the oil floating production ships (FPSOs), are still treated like second class citizens by being paid less and treated as less. He said that even the Insurance Companies are now complaining as evidence relating to how Exxon and Partners are trying to cheat the sector out of millions of US dollars, start to surface. Adams continued that local companies are not given the same treatment as Exxon who already enjoys an excessively friendly production sharing agreement with the country.

“…it goes back to this power drunkenness. And I believe this power drunkenness is emboldened through the riches of oil. The Government is just reneging on its responsibility of protecting all individuals and most import to treat everyone equally,” Adams told the Press Conference. He said, “The big question is why are they treating the foreign rich big companies such as Exxon differently from our people who have a sovereign right for freedom of speech and not to be second class citizens.”

Adams claimed that even Exxon’s files are now being protected at the EPA- his understanding is that Exxon’s files are no longer being stored in the big room where it is supposed to be, but that the company’s documents are being protected in the Executive Director’s office. He said it appears that the Government does not want any other information regarding the Exxon to become public.
“There is no question, it’s just as if Exxon is being our new colonial masters and our Government and Leadership are bowing down to them at the expense of the freedom of its own citizens,” Adams said.

He noted that Guyana indeed need Foreign Investors as their business is important to the development of the country, “but you cannot be reneging on your responsibility to protect your people and treat them equally in preference to how you treat folks who are coming in.”

Adams said, “… Exxon is violating our laws daily in front of our eyes, thumping their noses at us, they are putting up billboards that are misrepresenting the facts, violating the laws and putting us at high risk and they are producing (oil) at a higher rate than the safety limit allows, and nobody is saying anything…”

The former EPA Head said that currently the laws Exxon is violating, they have signed on to it. He questioned therefore why the Government has not pressed the company of these violations or have arrested its President Alistair Routledge for the actions committed. Adams said that instead, the Government extends to Exxon the same treatment it gives to its citizens, it is protecting the oil company with its illegalities.