Aug 10, 2026 Features / Columnists, The GHK Lall Column

Kaieteur News – On 31st July, some of the words uttered by Exxon’s Chief, Mr. Darren Woods, were as clear as a bugle. Exxon has recovered all of its investment in Guyana -all US$55B. I thank Mr. Woods for his clarity on that score and his extra note about the repayment being two years ahead of schedule. It has been 10 days since the high-performing and high-flying Exxon chief mentioned his Guyana debt repayment words. It has been 10 days and not a word from the PPP Govt. Not a word from Excellency Ali. And, most conspicuous of all, NOT A SINGLE WORD FROM VICE PRESIDENT DR. BHARRAT JAGDEO. I deliberately capitalised and bolded a part of the sentence involving Vice President Jagdeo. With a bow to the presidency, Dr. Jagdeo is the man in command of Guyana’s oil industry. Therefore, it is Oil Chief Jagdeo who must speak. Exxon spoke. Chief Oil Minister of Guyana, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, should have been the very next man to speak over here in the very next minute. To date, Guyanese have not had a whiff, or so much as a syllable, from the man in command of the Guyana oil treasure.

I don’t want to know why he has not spoken. All I know is that he should have spoken, and must speak. Ten days of silence at a time like this could mean many things. But I cast no aspersions. All the focus, where I zero in, is on one area, one truth, one reality: the man, this national oil leader, must speak. He must break his silence. Guyanese must hear from their oil boss, Dr. Jagdeo. About one and one thing only at this time. What does the 50:50 profit sharing look like, when did it begin (it should have), and how much by the calculations of the government’s army of mathematicians.