OPINION:Bharrat Jagdeo: the call to temper oil expectations must apply to all

Last Updated on Monday, 11 March 2024, 17:24 by Denis Chabrol

By GHK Lall

Guyana’s archbishop of straight talk, fair play, and telling it as it is, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, is up to his usual sanctimonious self again. Guyanese must learn to ‘temper’ their expectations relative to their oil riches. What they get, how much they are going to get, and when they will get, something of substance from their oil inheritance. Guyanese now find themselves as a classic case of being rich in bank deposits and beggars in the streets of life. Bharrat either thinks that Guyanese are so stupid that cannot think for themselves, or that they enjoy being made into a patsy repeatedly. The big Guyana oil man is settled in his conviction that the ordinary man and woman in Guyana cannot see past their noses. Worse still, that they cannot see him, after all the failed promises and costly leadership follies, for who he really is

‘Temper expectations’ on oil riches landing in the lap, cautions Bharatjiroa (Demerara Waves, March 11). To temper is to manage, to adjust, to dilute, to ease up. The bulk of Guyanese could do so. And I can, too. But only when the circumstances so justify, only when the rod of that harsh application is applied across the backs of everyone. It has not been so. On behalf of the jilted (yet again), and disappointed and angry Guyanese citizenry, I now make this representation: how is it that the private sector in Guyana is not being held to the same distressing standard? Perhaps, I should say tight expectation leash. There has been lavishness to the point of giddiness with the hundreds of budget billions set aside in some shape or form for the business community. Further, there is no slowing them down, nor conditioning them to put a lid on their oil expectations. But the little man stuck in the trenches and struggling to keep his head above water is brought to a halt and told to manage himself better with this oil, his oil wealth. He is preoccupied staving off crocodiles (vendors and sellers), and is being told not to expect any relief help. While the man-in-the-street hustles and hobbles along, whispers from knowing PPP quarters are that leading lights in the private sector have the benefit of major budget input, which are usually honored in full. Somebody should out the brakes on them about how to temper their oil expectations. In truth and in fact, they have had nothing to temper, nothing to restrain, nothing bitter to swallow, and then forced to grin like some damn fool

Bharrat ‘The Demerara Dodger’ Jagdeo has the audacity to push Guyanese to manage themselves (expectations) but is shrinking from facing up to Exxon and Alistair Routledge to do better with their repulsive 2016 oil contract. He has no second thoughts about asking struggling, longsuffering, Guyanese to shrink their expectations about oil, even if it means the shrinking of their physical and mental selves. When dealing with Guyanese, Jagdeo is all prickly and touchy; but when dealing with Woods and Routledge (and Excellencies Nicole D. Theriot and Antony J. Blinken), he doesn’t care to make himself silly, and how sickly he looks. Who was it that said inferiority complex can be outgrown? Or which sociologist or psychiatrist swore that old colonial habits drilled into weak and pathetic natives can be overcome? Those abused by their great white fathers have more often than not turned out to be bullies of their own people

To repeat my earlier position: there is no objection to lending a receptive ear and a helpful shoulder to any leadership call to ‘temper expectations’ on oil. But, it must contain elements of what is evenhanded, in that it is just. In appearance and in substance This is my condition: it is unambiguous and it is set in stone: when a political leadership call goes out, as with the one from a silky operator like Jagdeo, every Guyanese must ‘tie up deh bellie’, all must share in the strain (of waiting and hoping), and each citizen must know what it is to feel a slice of the pain. Equal opportunity sacrifice. Equal opportunity expectation. Equal opportunity reward. What could be fairer than something of that nature? What could be more democratic than that; and, to use an old PPP word once favored, what could be more egalitarian than such a vision, such an inspiring approach?

We are together on this oil. We will together take the delayed, the expected, and hopefully not find ourselves in the ranks of the rejected and dejected. When Bharrat Jagdeo can get this in his less than dense head, then there would be welcoming, even anticipating with good grace, the call from the mountaintop to ‘temper’ expectations on this prodigious national oil patrimony. Until such a time, such a balanced and honest leadership development, then there is no option but to say goodbye Mr. Jagdeo. Do better next time, my liege. Think these things through before asking others (poor and punishing Guyanese) to do what self and friends have not been called upon to do.