What about us? 

Feb 25, 2025 Editorial, News

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Editorial…

Kaieteur News- THE title of this editorial is borrowed from a line in the late Michael Jackson’s Earth Song, which he said was written at a time when he was weighed down by the suffering of the plight of the planet Earth. For him, he thought nature was trying hard to compensate for man’s mismanagement of the Earth. And with the ecological unbalance going on, and a lot of the problems in the environment, the earth feels. The track sees Michael sending out a wakeup-call of sorts about the terrible condition that mankind has caused to the world, from war to the killing of animals and of the earth itself and ending with the crescendo ‘what about us.’

On Monday, this newspaper published an article, giving voice to ExxonMobil’s Senior Vice President, Hunter Farris. He was at the time addressing the gathering at the just concluded energy conference during which, he stated that thanks to the collective efforts of business partners, industry leaders and local contractors, “we now witness what is rightly being described as “one of the most incredible success stories, the world has ever seen.”

He added: “What you’re witnessing, which we’re living out in real time is the epic underdog tale of Guyana’s oil and gas development, development that has only just begun to transform this country and its economy and to benefit Guyana citizens in ways big and small.” Farris’ comments have mirrored those of several others who, after cashing in on Guyana’s cheap oil extol all the virtues of the industry here. It is often the silent query from ordinary citizens whenever these fulsome praises of our oil are made: what are we boasting about; what can the ordinary Guyanese say about their oil and gas wealth; what is in it for them, what about us?

Farris was keen to note as our article pointed out that in practically no time, Guyana’s oil discoveries have catapulted the nation into the ranks of the world’s oil superpowers. According to him, “By the standards of our industry, which undertakes and executes projects with multi-decade timelines, this has happened practically overnight…Traditionally, it would take a decade or longer to produce the first barrels of oil from a significant deep-water discovery, especially in a new country, but thanks to the dedication and focus of Guyana’s stakeholders, as well as skills and expertise of ExxonMobil’s scientists, engineers and business partners…”

In Greek mythology, there is the quest for the Golden Fleece. From Spanish legend, the world has been captivated by the tale of El Dorado, a golden city.  In both tales, there are deep strains of man’s ongoing quest for riches, standing at the pinnacle, and possessing vast power.  Whether city of gold or majestic authority, all roads now lead to Guyana. Guyana is not of possibility anymore, that of hopes to be fulfilled.  Guyana is the reality of the golden ticket that sweeps away every prize in sight. America’s ExxonMobil and Hess Corporation, plus China’s Nexen Corporation can all confirm in the most glowing terms.

Today, Guyana is no longer about promise; Guyana is the real thing through and through, and all because of oil, crude oil, fossil fuel gold.  Oil that can be touched, its riches tasted, and there is a multibillion-barrel ocean of it.  We, the Guyanese people, do not even have the faintest idea of how much more oil we have, though others may be already privy to that information that also belongs to us.  The search for the Golden Fleece and El Dorado can be finally stopped, for both are right here in Guyana.  Guyana is the golden ticket, the most golden of tickets for Americans and Chinese, but not for the Guyanese people, to whom this great treasure chest of wealth belongs.

The shareholders of ExxonMobil and Hess Corporation are enriched by the delightful news of how sweet and cheap the oil from Guyana is, and how rich the dividends now in store for them.  But of the people whose golden ticket has been snatched in the trickiest manner, there are no rich dividends, only the usual disappointments that leave them licking their sores.  Their impoverishing plight is so overpowering that even their saliva dries up.  The people in America who own pieces of paper prosper, while the Guyanese people who own the rich product punish.  The top people at ExxonMobil have helped themselves to massive pay increases, and unbelievable multimillion American dollar bonuses, from Guyana’s golden oil ticket.  Meanwhile almost half in Guyana’s population struggle to get by with US$5.50 a day.  ExxonMobil, Hess, and Nexen get the golden ticket from Guyana’s oil, Guyanese get a coffin made of sand and straw in which they bury their dreams, the prosperity that is due to all of them.

This imbalance, this most heinous of unspeakable crime, is the stuff of agitation and upheaval, given the litany of injustices inflicted on Guyanese.  Those who have been tricked and cheated usually see red, and are driven to uncontrollable rages.  The boasts of Guyana being the golden ticket for foreigners would be enough in other places for the dam to break and the force of the people’s discontent to sweep all that is in front of them.  Given the circumstances which many Guyanese face in this golden ticket of an oil country, when their survival depends on getting the next meal, it should be more than enough for their suppressed wrath to find expression.

There has to be some limit beyond which those oppressed for their own patrimony refuse to go along with like before, past which they reject taking things as they are anymore. It is time to find a way to put a stop to the smug complacency that is now so much part and parcel of the foreign plunders and the locals who partner with them.  The foreigners shout their prospects to the world, in hopes of attracting more piranhas (investors) for a slice of Guyana’s golden ticket.  The local political aiders and abettors are more concerned about keeping foreign exploiters happy, while their own Guyanese people have their noses rubbed into the dirt.

(What about us? )

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• Earth Song, Editorial, ExxonMobil’s Senior Vice President, Hunter Farris, Michael Jackson’s

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