Ambassador, renegotiate the Exxon contract

Dear Editor,

Ambassador Nicole Theriot used strong words by stating that it would be dangerous for Guyana to renegotiate the contract with Exxon. Ambassador, it would be dangerous for us not to renegotiate the contract. Any new, democratically elected government is mandated to serve its citizens’ best interest.

Our present administration should thus be free and obligated to correct the misdeeds and mistakes of the past administration which signed that unfair document. The contract is a title of abuse foisted on a “struggling people” to extract a line from Dave Martins song which has evoked strong feelings of patriotism and determination. Having endured decades of economic hardship, the discovery of oil and permission given to a foreign company to extract that resource, should have been a golden opportunity to raise all Guyanese out of poverty and put Guyana as a model of success.

A proper contract with Exxon is what Guyana needs most. On the contrary, should this be achieved, there would be no dire need for other investors who want to look at the present contract with Exxon and feel that their contracts with our government will be similarly lopsided in their favour. It is time to relieve the majority of Guyanese from financial distress although they should be enjoying this under the present contract.