— minister of business urges Guyanese

MINISTER of Business, Dominic Gaskin, on Saturday pleaded with Guyanese not to become distracted by the “tiny vocal minority” which have openly criticised the government of Guyana’s contract with U.S. oil giant ExxonMobil.

Gaskin, who was at the time speaking at the opening ceremony for the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company’s (GTT) Innov8 Summit, being held at the Marriott Hotel, Georgetown, sought to assure the public that the APNU+AFC coalition government will ensure that Guyanese reap benefits from the country’s natural resources.

“A lot has already been said [about oil] and the debate still rages on, but I can say in all sincerity that our government will ensure that the Guyanese people become the beneficiaries of our country’s natural wealth; and I want to urge you all to pay attention to the real development that is taking place and not become distracted by that tiny vocal minority which seems bent on killing the enthusiasm that we all need to energise us into making the right choices and preparing ourselves for what lies ahead,” said the minister of business.

Gaskin said too that Guyana has “a golden opportunity” to prudently save, spend and invest oil revenues within a framework of rules that will ensure sustainability and will bring great benefits to the Guyanese people for generations to come.
The minister appeared to be referencing critics who have chided the government’s handling of its oil agreement with the U.S. oil company and its partners. In fact, several critics, including attorney Melinda Janki believe that there are grounds on which the contract with ExxonMobil can be challenged.

GUARDIAN ARTICLE
Recently, an article published in the United Kingdom’s Guardian newspaper and headlined, ‘Guyanese campaigners mount legal challenge against three oil giants,’ indicated an intent by a group of Guyanese to move to the courts on the matter.

Janki, one of the lawyers representing the Guyanese campaigners, said the granting of licences to drill by the government was illegal. She told the Guardian, “It is very simple. If you want to extract oil in Guyana you need an environmental permit in order to get a petroleum production licence…. Only one of the three companies involved has an environmental permit. We are seeking an order to quash the decision by the minister [Minister of Natural Resources] to issue the licence because, we are saying, he acted illegally.”

According to the article published three days ago, Janki lodged an appeal earlier this month after the first attempt to quash the granting of the licences was rejected by a judge.
Similarly, activist Ramon Gaskin, who is part of ‘A Fair Deal for Guyana campaign’ told the Guardian, “In my opinion, the government has sold off Guyana’s oil without a care for the environment, without a care for the people, without a care for fishermen and others who stand to lose everything from a spill, without a care for Guyana’s marine environment which could be totally destroyed, without a care for future generations who might inherit nothing but an oil slick, and without any understanding whatsoever of the dangers of climate change. People also have to understand that an oil spill or a well blow-out could harm our Caribbean neighbours and Guyana could be liable for that damage.”

MET LEGAL REQUIREMENTS
But the Government of Guyana on Friday issued a statement assuring that every action it took regarding the issuance of a petroleum production licence to the U.S. oil company met all legal requirements.

“Firstly, the government of Guyana wishes to emphatically reaffirm that it zealously guards and defends the right of every citizen to seek recourse in law in pursuit of interests they believe to be worthy. Equally, the government of Guyana is certain, as it is confident, that every action it took with regard to the issuance of the petroleum production licence met all legal requirements,” the ministry’s statement read.

It added that the government is prepared and willing to present all facts in this regard to any court with jurisdiction.
“The Ministry of Natural Resources notes that this sort of action is not unusual in emerging oil economies, particularly during the stage leading up to first-oil, at which Guyana currently is. The ministry is satisfied that its partners engaged in exploration and preparation for production and [are] taking every precaution in ensuring that there is minimal effect to the environment; and that they are diligently putting systems in place to guard against any spills or mishaps.”

Further, the ministry said it will continue to engage its partners – ExxonMobil, Hess and CNOOC Nexen – in ensuring that the interest of Guyana’s waters and environment remais top priorities as it pursues exploitation of Guyana’s natural resources with a view to fast track Guyana’s social, infrastructural and economic development.

“The ministry calls on all Guyanese to remain vigilant and interested in ensuring that Guyana’s patrimony, in every regard, is protected and also to act in the best interest of the future development of this generation and generations to follow. No longer must Guyana be indefinitely consigned to Third World status and its people languish in less than desirable circumstances. We must join forces, as a nation, to ensure that every Guyanese enjoys the good life by dint of hard work and the responsible exploitation of our nation’s God-given resources.”