It’s not a gas…

…with gas
Back in the day, original hipsters like Frank Sinatra introduced the Irish expression “It’s a gas!” — meaning a fun activity — into the general lexicon. The pronouncements of the Guyana Government on the gas found off our shores by Exxon associated with petroleum show clearly that their spokesmen are no hipsters! But yet, like Frank, they insist on doing things “their way”; though, in the end, Guyana gets it in the end!
Let’s step back a bit with this gas business, shall we, dear reader? Right after their oil strike in May 2015, Exxon announced they would be using some of the gas to run the operations of their FPSO, and inject the remainder back under the seabed — where it would help to push out some more oil. They never planned on sending any to our shores. After trying all sorts of sleights of hand to convince Guyanese better days are coming, however, the Government’s latest dodge is to convince Exxon to send the gas ashore to fire up some GPL generators.
GPL, as we know from the writings of some of the Government’s staunchest supporters, has taken us back to the (dark) days of Burnham, when blackouts were the order of the day (and night)! So the gas talk is supposed to give the longsuffering Guyanese some hope.
Anyhow, the Government, as is standard in these matters, ordered a feasibility study. After all, it’s not just a matter of pumping the gas from under the sea and then sending it out to our GPL plants in rubber hoses like the ones you have attached to your stove. It’s a tad more complicated than that; but don’t tell the Govt!!
Firstly, the gas, which is mostly methane, has to be cleansed of a host of compounds that are quite polluting. This takes money. While it can be done on the FPSO – in larger quantities than for its own use – there’s the cost. Also, the cost of gas pipelines from 120 miles out in the deep Atlantic, and the cost of retrofitting the present GPL generators to consume methane. But before any of this has been costed, the Government insists “It’s feasible!!”
But another hitch has popped up on the gas front. Norway had committed US$80 million for “renewable energy” in general, and Amaila in particular. The Govt, of course, balked at Amaila because it’s Jagdeo’s idea, and are now trying to convince Norway they can’t withhold their money ‘cause natural gas is “renewable” and “non-polluting”!!
Sure – renewable in 65 billion years!!! But still burns into carbon dioxide!!
When these guys in the Government speak, it’s a gas!!
…with police on bicycles
Your Eyewitness thought the “police on bicycles” plan was confined to the city of Georgetown – where the City Constabulary has become exhausted from running down vendors and other hapless citizens on foot to shake them down!! But the bicycled cops are now also deployed on the West Coast, where they will be thrown into the ongoing fight against crime.
It’s evidently one more attempt by the Police to present a “kinder gentler” face to the public. It mightn’t be the ruddy-cheeked cops on the beat who handed out candy to kids at Christmas time, like we saw in the old movies, but it’s a start, right? But it was a bit of a stretch to suggest the bicycled cops would be better in crowd control! They’ll form a bicycle cordon?
Then one wonders if Policemen on horseback will also be deployed outside of Georgetown. They’ll also get to crime scenes “in minutes”, as promised with the bicycles, but they’ll be easier to feed!
…on new oil fields
OK…Janet Jagan gave away too many fields to Exxon. But she DIDN’T know the fields had oil. It was a gamble.
But why no bidding by Trotman for new fields – AFTER the “world class” oil find by Exxon? Political investments?