Dear Editor:
I read with disgust and resentment, news media reports of recent statements made by Exxon’s Production Manager, Mr. Mike Ryan who carries the same tune as his boss, Mr. Routledge. There seems to be no end to the imperious and disrespectful behaviour of these two gentlemen towards the people of Guyana believing us to be fools.
Emboldened by the Government, they seem to think that they own the country and see the warm hospitality and good natured-ness of our people as weakness and stupidity.
This is quite unlike Mr. Rod Henson, the former Exxon Head who, even though a tough-as-nails negotiator and company loyalist, was an exemplary professional, and showed great mindfulness and respect for Government authorities, and people of Guyana.
After some very stiff push back, it was Mr. Henson who agreed to, and signed the documents including the EPA Permits committing to unlimited liability coverage comprising of insurance plus parent company guarantee for coverage of all liabilities above the insurance limit.
Was it his humanity the reason why Exxon removed Mr. Henson and replaced him with the fancy and tough talking Mr. Routledge? Well, the answer became obvious when, as soon as their man Routledge arrived, he (1) threatened that if Guyana doesn’t cooperate, Exxon may take its business elsewhere; (2) ignored the legal requirements enshrined in Liza 1 and 2 Permits signed by Mr. Henson calling for full liability coverage; (3) justified flaring by saying Guyana needs the money because things bad from COVID; (4) enjoyed the Government parroting that it is OK to flare because Guyana is a carbon sink and so has the capacity to take up more pollutants, while at the same time Exxon committing to cut flaring by almost half in the rest of the world; (5) changed the EPA Permits from prohibition of flaring to unlimited flaring for a fee that is a laughable 3% of the money Exxon makes from the flaring; (6) reportedly has Guyanese workers being treated as second class citizens on the FPSO’s in being fed left-overs and wages many times less than their foreign counterparts; and (7) he got the Government to drop EPA’s legal proceedings against Exxon for refusing to pay a piddly fine of US$500 for six small spills.
He even enjoyed a bonus with the removal of the EPA Attorney prosecuting the case for EPA. Since he is getting paid with our oil money, Mr. Routledge should disclose to us what bonus did he and Mr. Ryan receive for these accomplishments.
Just think about this my fellow Guyanese – Exxon comes into our country taking advantage of an Oil Contract described by our Honourable Vice President (VP) and Attorney General (AG) as stealing our patrimony and as the worst contract ever which warrants renegotiations as soon as they get into office; yet these Exxon Kingpins don’t even have the manners to openly thank our Honorable VP and AG for their reneging, nor the decency to show gratefulness to the people of Guyana for resuscitating Exxon from its financial near-death.
Instead, they pompously refuse to answer our basic question as to how much gas is being flared; but we must remind Exxon that this oil and gas belong to the people and not Exxon; that all data belong to the people and not Exxon; and that yes, our oil money pay all of the hefty salaries and bonuses of Mr. Routledge and Mr. Ryan.
In spite of all that, the Government still kowtows and waves them on to scorn our God given right and to abuse our generosity. Our President’s proud shoutout that negotiating with Exxon is like negotiating with a superpower, speaks volumes as to how much the Government fears and reveres the Exxon boys who could enjoy such idolizing only in Guyana, but would quiver in their boots when dealing with regulators in other countries such as the USA.
I know this to be so, because I was one of those regulators.
Sincerely,
Dr. Vincent Adams
