By some estimates, for the Liza Phase 1 and Liza Phase 2 projects alone, the permanent tax holiday for the biggest oil company in the US could cost Guyanese taxpayers some US$5 billion. That could instead be spent on salaries for teachers and schools, nurses and hospitals, actually reliable water and electricity plants, and better roads and even railway systems to help Guyanese citizens to obtain the good life President Granger says he wants to deliver.
Perhaps the people said to be responsible for renegotiating this agreement, and who argue strongly against revising it further – Carl Greenidge, Raphael Trotman, and Shridath Ramphal – should explain to us why they believe Exxon should have that money, and not the Guyanese taxpayers who paid their government salaries.
Those are the five billion reasons why the Payara project should not be approved without the renegotiation of the disgraceful agreement currently in place.
Jan Mangal