THE government was right all along when it said the US Exim Bank would give its approval of the loan for the Gas-to-Energy project to proceed.
It was right, too, when it said the project was approved, and Guyana would soon experience another round of development, as electricity rates would fall by 50 per cent next year. President Mohamed Irfaan Ali and Vice-President Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo led the charge on the side of the government, and held a significant amount of engagements with US officials. They never wavered their position, but instead, allowances were being made should the US Exim Bank loan fall through, for whatever reason.

So, it turns out that the Gas-to-Energy project is feasible, sound, and environmentally good. This approval proves that the nation can no longer blindly trust the Alliance for Change (AFC) and the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) to provide them with the truth, facts, and clean information about matters of national importance.

This lack of trust has reached alarming levels, with some publicly calling both parties disgraceful pathological liars, and obstructionists to development. This is just another example of the desperation that will become the order of the day for the opposition parties as elections are drawing closer.

From the look of things, the PNC and AFC see no interest in apologising to the public for their attempt to muddy the waters, by distorting the information, and misrepresenting the facts. If they did not apologise for attempting to steal an entire election in 2020, then they would not apologise willingly for lies told about the Gas-to-Energy project.

This is shameless politics; it is dangerous, nationally, because the people don’t hold the current opposition leaders to the same standards as they expect from the government. They can lie barefacedly to the public and get away with it, but if the ruling government does the same, then there is outrage, and they are held accountable, at knife point. This is unfair and wrong! We need to hold them both accountable, and at the same level of standards, if we are going to be fair and consistent.

Aubrey Norton, Nigel Hughes, and Bharrat Jagdeo must be held to the very same standards. Whenever they lie and distort the facts, they must be exposed and made to feel the necessity to apologise, or say that they were wrong. We must start to practise politics of principle; ethical politics and moral politics. How else will we stop politicians from lying to us? How else will we enable accountability and transparency in politics and government? Can we make them apologise, and ultimately jail them for seriously lying and jeopardising a project?

The Gas-to-Energy project is of monumental importance to Guyana’s development, now and in the future; it should never be simply offered up at the altar of political expediency. Billions of dollars are being invested in the Guyana Power and Light Inc. to provide Guyanese with stable, reliable and affordable electricity.

And, billions more are being spent, and will be expended on the Gas-to-Energy project for cheaper and stable power to the redounding positive benefits of Guyanese businesses, foreign and domestic investors, and the Guyanese public. The AFC and PNC should know better than to play politics with the project and crucial investments in the sector. Instead, they should become partners to enable the transformation of the sector, instead of unduly and unfairly demonising the developments.

There is nothing wrong with criticising a few aspects of the project, but that criticism must be given in an objective, sensible and constructive manner. Many of the things that come from the opposition are high-handed, meritless, and nasty criticism. They are aimed at creating mischief, and stalling development through the opposition social media machinery and a few select media. They sit on the media’s oxygen pipes so they cannot breathe. This is unfortunate, and we must be able to call them out.

The real opposition antagonist to the project, and by extension GPL, and development is David Patterson. A former failed Minister of Public Infrastructure under the APNU+AFC regime that pretends to know everything and everyone that is connected with the project and sector, but really knows no one, and very little about management.

He is considered a fake and a fraud by those who actually know him, and is constantly trying to pull the wool over the eyes of the media and public with these exciting flights of fantasy of make-believe for headlines. That is why he has latched on to the project, GPL, and Jagdeo, presumably. And, he won’t let them go.

He achieves political relevance and fame from them. If he would look straight into the eyes of the project, he would catch a glimpse of its potential to revolutionise Guyana and doing business here. Patterson, as an MP, should start listening, reading and paying attention to the details of the project to offer informed comment on what the government is trying to do, as opposed to looking for ways to score cheap political points, and stymie the development of Guyana.

It is truly appalling how these men can wield political influence over Guyanese and remain in parliament when they are prone to mislead, lie pathologically, and distort facts. Guyanese should brace themselves for more of the men of Patterson’s ilk; they are now coming forth left, right and centre to try and make Guyana ungovernable again.

The silly season is upon us. Norton will start a campaign of relentless lies and misrepresentations to usher in 2025. Nigel Hughes will preach from his Doomsday book, and will continue the grounding sessions he has been having this year into next year. The grand coalition will be announced by the first half or first quarter of 2025. This will not hold back the PPP whitewash that is planned for the elections in 2025. The PPP/C will win the elections next year if it remains focused.

Ultimately, ‘big men’ apologise when they are wrong. However, ‘little men’ do not, and cannot accept that they erred. These men just ‘look’ at another opportunity to lie and achieve political relevance. The damage and burden of the lie or distorted truth remain with us. But what can we do? We can vote them out of the National Assembly and the PNC or AFC party.

We can keep these men out of power. If they cannot tell the truth and be honest, we should cause the opposition to be in a greater minority in parliament for 2025; show them the consequences of telling a lie to the Guyanese public. We want honest, honourable men and women in parliament; we need honest and truthful politicians; not king liars.
DISCLAIMER: The views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Guyana National Newspapers Limited.