The disclosure just over two years ago that significant deposits of oil had been found offshore Guyana created some discernible changes in public behaviour that had to do with what we anticipated would be a qualitative transformation which the advent of oil would bring to Guyana. In order to keep the populace up to date with the significance of the oil find the media in Guyana have had to learn quickly and even now we are still nowhere close to understanding all of the ramifications of the sector as it pertains, first, to regulations associated with oil exploitation and secondly to the broader ramifications of the relationship between the Government of Guyana and Exxon-Mobil. Arguably, the biggest issue has to do with how our oil and gas resources would impact on the development of the country, as a whole, in terms of raising poverty eradication, raising the standard of living and upgrading the critical elements of the country’s infrastructure in the areas of education, health, science and technology, agriculture transportation et al.
Setting aside news associated with both the domestic and international implications of preparing for the commencement of the oil recovery process in 2020 there is also a different type of anticipation associated with notions, frequently fanciful ones, of untold wealth attendant and transformation towards a good life for all. These notions have been embellished with further announcements of additional oil finds.
