Kaieteur News

GEORGETOWN
EnergiesNet.com 04 05 2023

Against the background of a recent statement issued by the US Embassy alerting its citizens about threats to their business interests here, Kaieteur News Publisher, Glenn has questioned the motive of the advisory and surmised that it could be as a result of the growing dissatisfaction of Guyanese over the wholesale thievery of this country’s resources by foreigners. He said too that while the embassy has expressed concerns about its people, it remains silent on the disadvantages being meted out to Guyana over the lopsided ExxonMobil contract.

In a statement published on its website last week, the U.S. Embassy said that it is urging US citizens to be on high alert as it has received threats against US interest. While the embassy did not specify what those threats were in the statement, it urged all its citizens to “stay alert” and “exercise heightened caution.” “Out of an abundance of caution, we want to inform U.S. citizens that the embassy has increased security protocols due to receiving threats against U.S. interests,” the US embassy said. Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo last Thursday said that the threat against US interest in Guyana is a “serious matter” and that it is getting all of the government’s attention.

He too did not disclose the nature of the threats but related that the US Government is also looking into the situation.  “I don’t want to speak about it. It is a serious matter and we are giving it all of our attention from the State and the United States Government also,” Jagdeo said.

Meanwhile, speaking on his radio programme; ‘The Glenn Lall Show’ last Friday Mr. Lall said he believes that the statement was issued “because they are feeling the heat, they are smelling the wrath of you the people out there, listening to these programmes and reading the Kaieteur News – is the naked truth we are bringing to your ears and eyes. For too long these foreigners have been doing this thing to us, thieving your bread and butter while you are left to suck the cane husk with salt on it. How things like this can go on and a nation keeps calm…” Lall made it clear he had no problem with foreign investors, but he is keen on Guyana getting its fair share.

Turning his attention to the US Ambassador, Sarah Ann Lynch, Lall said: “every day you guys boasting about how Guyana is so good and great over your interests, what is good and great for the Guyanese people and their interest?  They are driving in Mercedes Benz, Lexus, BMWs and Audis with our wealth, while some of us can’t even afford to buy a bicycle for your kid to ride to school or a bus fare to send them to school. How can this ever be in this country, the fastest growing economy on earth today? How can this ever be acceptable,” Lall lamented.  He said too often foreigners have been expressing concerns about their prosperity, their interests and their security. However, he asked: “what happen to the prosperity, security and interests of Guyanese?”

Lall said what the West has done to Africa and India for hundreds of years, they are repeating it here right now “with our raw materials, our rich natural resources and we must stay quiet; we must not say anything, because if we say something it can be interpreted as a threat to their security and business interests. “He noted that inequality causes people to live in poverty, which sparks hunger, distress, sickness.  Lall asked why so many Guyanese have to live scraping from the bottom of the barrel and live with $600 and $1,000 a day. “Is this fair, is this just?  How isn’t that a threat to those citizens or are they not humans?”

Lall said he has seen the atrocities committed by Western countries on Africa and Asia. “How can foreigners come here, sucking the blood out of our bodies, the air out of our lungs, and tell us to be happy, not to be angry, not to react, or should we just roll over and take it all in…I hope that nothing I speak on the radio or have written in the newspaper is ever considered a threat to anybody’s business interest, because all we want is our fair and rightful share from every foreigner doing business in this country.  Give us that and we will applaud the work you are doing. When everybody benefits, everybody is happy.  When only one side benefits, then you see jumbie all over and I think that is what you people are seeing right now – jumbies,” Lall told his audience.

Lall drew to the attention of his audience, the lopsided ExxonMobil contract, reminding listeners that while Guyana is getting 2% royalty from its oil resources, the US oil major was walking away with 98%.  “How can this ever be fair Ambassadors? How can they walk away with 98% and don’t even pay a single cent taxes in this country too, to these hungry and angry citizens of this country who own the wealth?  How come there is no secret alert on these high crimes being committed against the business interests of the people of this country, Ambassadors? Tell the nation something in another statement from your Embassy about their interest and their economic security.”

Lall, a businessman and newspaper publisher demanded: “the people of this country must have their rightful share, whether it is from my efforts or from those of the other Guyanese who are moved into action by the things I stood for and done. The tide is turning and the pot is boiling and there is no way I can see these types of heinous crimes continuing in this land. I am sorry Ambassadors and High Commissioners, if I am offending you people, it’s not my intention, all I want for me, my family and the Guyanese people is that our interests are secured with what God Almighty blessed us with.”

 Time to end the abuse

Lall said it was time the West ended the abuse of countries like Guyana. “Your countries and your people have done enough to we the people and this country and it is time this thing come to an end.  Ambassadors, High Commissioners, I have a question for all of you, what kind of human beings walk in to a poor man’s home and snatch the little food he has for his family and leave them to starve to death…?   We all know this has been going on for centuries where the white world huffed out the black world’s wealth in Africa, snatched out the Indians wealth in India, when they were dumb and didn’t know the real value of their wealth, come on man, today we know even more than you – the value of our resources, why the people being treated this way.”  He added: “your interest is threatened, then thievery of our wealth is threatened and got the nerve to tell us that their business interest is threatened – nothing for us is being threatened, we police, soldiers, nurses and all them public servants, the pensioners and schoolchildren, must take what they getting and make a good life out of it.”

kaieteurnewsonlines.com 04 05 2023