Letter: Hypocrisy – People responsible for one-sided Exxon PSA refuse to apologise

Dear Editor,

As Elections 2025 gets closer, one thing remains the same – there is agreement, consensus we all agree that it was a one-sided contract. We do not all agree on the way forward. One-sided or not, Guyana has made social and economic progress, growing by leaps and bounds. The development, both socially and economically, has been acknowledged. Guyana’s infrastructure is beginning to aligned more with high-middle-income country status. Even though its just at the beginning stages, benefits have been accruing to the masses.

One thing is for certain; we cannot go back. Any move on our part that will result in production reduction and bring uncertainty for investors will bring our growing economy and our improved social and economic benefits to a screeching halt.

The people who are entirely responsible for negotiating and signing the EXXON PSA are all now demanding that President Ali and the PPP renegotiate the EXXON contract. Yet none of them has apologized for what they did; none of them has taken responsibility for hanging the albatross around the neck of Guyana.

There is sheer dishonesty and hypocrisy for those who were directly and indirectly responsible for the one-sided contract to demand renegotiation when none of them have taken responsibility and none of them has apologized. While some were directly involved, Cabinet had to approve the contract. All who served in cabinet are equally responsible. But the coalition was made up of several political parties, including the PNC, the AFC, the WPA and several other one-man, one-woman parties. The leadership of all political parties must take responsibility.

Other than now seeing them demanding renegotiation, I am yet to see them take responsibility and I am yet to see anyone apologizing to the Guyanese people. Ever since the secret contract was exposed, we knew that it was a one-sided contract. The same hypocrites who now demand that their handiwork must be renegotiated defended the contract. Now that they are in Opposition, they wring their hands with feigned disgust. But it is all a show.

Is it a case of stupidity while in government and now clear-sightedness in Opposition? It is unequivocal dishonesty.

Then there are the commentators and opposition surrogates. Most if not all of them were either praising the contract or were silent when the contract was revealed. Their apprehension and disgust only became apparent when the PNC-led APNU/AFC were defeated and the PPP became government in 2020. Were these commentators who now demand renegotiation slow in recognizing the deficiencies of the EXXON PSA or are they being dishonest and hypocritical?

Yours sincerely,

Leslie Ramsammy