There has rightly been much talk about the nature of the Exxon contract with calls for it to be renegotiated. I honestly do not know why our lawyers did not bring up this point before, the very nature of the contract voids it from its inception. According to one website provided, contracts can be, are voided at the inception if there is a mistake or fraud by one of the parties. Contracts may also be voided if a party entered into a contract under duress. Another type of contract that can be void is an unconscionable contract.

Therefore, even before the contract lands before a court of law, its obvious violations are so glaring that upon appropriately advised perusal, the contract in its entirety may be scrapped, this being confirmed in our courts. Principally, the contract did not represent the will of the people of Guyana. At this point, there is no need for renegotiation, just the drafting of a contract vetted by the Guyanese public, representative of our interests, in which Exxon and its affiliates may continue to operate lawfully in Guyana’s territory

Yours faithfully,

Craig Sylvester