Politicians across the board have failed Guyana with oil contracts

Trade Unionist, Lincoln Lewis has acknowledged that the contract that Guyana has with CGX bears a sticking resemblance to the contract the nation has with ExxonMobil.

Lewis noted that two different governments signed those agreements. He said they all must take responsibility. Lewis expressed his concerns and made his views known in a letter to the media. He said that the media needs to be commended for its continuous effort in highlighting the truth as it relates to the contracts signed by Governments of Guyana with the oil companies. Lewis noted that members of civil society, “like Christopher Ram and Ramon “Rambo” Gaskin, have communicated to us their interest in taking a laser beam on this matter as they dissect ExxonMobil contract and offer their opinions on whether Guyana is getting the best deal or not. As regards to the politicians the public debates between the two sides and the evidence unfolding bring into question what their real motives are. “The PPP/C Opposition decries the APNU+AFC Executive for the agreement it signed on behalf of the people of Guyana with ExxonMobil. Today the media is bringing to the public attention the similarities in the agreement signed by PPP/C Government with CGX and the APNU+AFC Government with ExxonMobil.” Lewis said that the nation should remember that CARIFORUM negotiated an Economic Partnership Agreement with the European Union (EU). “Subsequent to this CARICOM commenced engagement to seal an agreement with Canada on an economic partnership. The Canadian Government used the CARIFORUM/EU Agreement as the template in engaging CARICOM.” Lewis said that the negotiation of the first agreement sets the foundation for any that come thereafter.

He then noted that there is a principle in negotiation that it is wise to seek to avoid “starting wrong because you will end wrong. In the case of the oil and gas agreements the first agreement will set the tone for others coming thereafter. While one is not aware whether the CGX can be considered the first, what is being gleaned is that it was used as the template in negotiating with Exxon.” The trade unionist said that political leaders, on both sides, need to take responsibility for the current agreements. He added, “There exists a political culture where the politicians believe they are the beginning and end of every idea, they know everything, even though they continue to prove everyday their deficiencies in such regards.”

(Kaieteur News)