Update, 5/12/05: According to a reader, it is is unfair to continue calling Carlos Tiny a Communist, as his party ultimately rejected Communist Party membership and philosophy 20 years ago and is now Marxist-oriented. In 40 years of newspapering, I have never really seen a big difference between the short- and long-term effects of Communism and Marxism, and of course the philosophy of Marx was a central part of the underpinning of Communism. Marxist philosophy helps to make complex things simple for the masses, but doesn't alter their complexity and the need for a non-ideological, pragmatic and respectful approach to political discourse. Life is not a means to an end, but a meaning without end. And so I differ with our friend.
There is no suggestion in the story that awards are forthcoming anytime soon. That contradicts assertions by JDA and ERHC officials that they will come this week. But a single word in the statement read to the press by de Menezes' press secretary may hold a small measure of hope for frustrated investors.
The word is analisar, a Portuguese word that means to analyze. In the English-language draft "transparency" law written by Columbia Unioversity that governs this opaque awards process on the Sao Tome and Principe side, the word "analyze" is accompanied by an asterisk and corresponding footnote that explains the word means the right to study but not to modify the agreement that governs Sao Tome's approval of awards of its rich oil-bearing blocks in the Gulf of Guinea's Joint Development Zone.
The Portuguese-language draft of the de Menezes statement uses the word, suggesting that President de Menezes will proceed with a limited review as permitted by the law governing Sao Tome approval of the awards.
At the same time, Sao Tome Communist leader Carlos Tiny of the Movement for the Liberation of Sao Tome issued a veiled warning to Nigeria "not to interfere" in the Sao Tome part of the awards process.
Nigerian officials, including JDA spokesman Sam Dimka, have taken a leading role in the negotiations currently underway in Sao Tome, and last week Dimka announced on de Menezes' behalf that the President had accepted the resignation of Mateus Meira Rita from the Joint Ministerial Council due to his being a former ERHC Energy executive and shareholder. De Menezes said Saturday that Rita's participation "obviously" broke the law.
We regret that we were unable to post this story earlier due to server issues at Blogspot which have now been corrected. We have translated two paragraphs (in boldface), and a partial translation of the Portuguese news agency Lusa report on the same topic is available from Homeport in the Comments section of the preceding post on Tiny's charges.
Here is the story from Vitrina, which earlier published the accusations of Tiny and now headlines its site with this report:
PRESIDÊNCIA DA REPÚBLICA REJEITA AS ACUSAÇÕES DO MLSTP/PSD
PRESIDENT REJECTS ALLEGATIONS OF THE THE MLSTP/PSD
by José Bouças
11.05.2005-J.Vitrina-(S. Tomé) -- O gabinete de imprensa do presidente da república desmentiu ontem as acusações feitas pelo MLSTP/PSD ao presidente da república segundo as quais Fradique de Menezes é sócio da ERHC.
The spokesman for the President today denied the accusations made by the Moverment for the Liberation of Sao Tome and the Social Democratic Party that the Presdent was a shareholder of ERHC.
Num comunicado o porta-voz da presidência Ângelo Bonfim aconselha o MLSTP/PSD a buscar provas que fundamentem a sua acusação. O comunicado no entanto não faz qualquer menção sobre outra acusação do partido no poder de que o chefe de estado estaria a violar a lei de receitas petrolíferas em benefício de interesses particulares.
Mas enquanto isso, o documento lido pelo porta-voz da presidência justifica as razões que levaram o presidente da república a demitir o seu conselheiro especial para assuntos petrolíferos.
Segundo Ângelo Bonfim a decisão foi tomada, porque de forma manifesta e notória, Patrice Trovoada se foi servindo da função que exercia para levar a cabo as suas actividades privadas tendo atingido uma situação aberta de conflitos de interesses entre os dele e os do país.
Esta situação que a presidência considera de incompatível começou a gerar um mal-estar crescente entre as diversas partes interventoras no processo de licitação pública de blocos que está na fase prévia à adjudicação, pondo em causa a transparência e alimentando especulações de muitos.
Com o presente afastamento, avança Ângelo Bonfim, Patrice Trovoada terá mais liberdade na dedicação das suas actividades privadas.
O comunicado da presidência da república aconselha calma aos santomenses e sublinha que será analisado todo o processo de adjudicação de blocos, bem como todas as fases posteriores que se vão seguir com serenidade, porque as riquezas do país devem continuar a ser defendidas e hão de ser distribuídas equitativamente para o povo.
The communication from the President counsels calm as it stresses that the whole process of adjudicating the blocks will be analyzed, as well as all the earlier phases that quietly went before it, because the risks the country has taken to continue to defend a fair distribution of the blocks is owed that much.
7 comments:
Its obvious that investors, newspapers, and the oil companies are at the mercy of the policts that are going on right now. Although I think you've put the cart before the horse Joe, I DO find your blog more informative than the simps, gimps, and Neanderthals at RB. Bye the way SWINGINGK as an English teacher I noticed on your last comment (awile back) you committed 18 grammatical errors: 4 compound sentences, 3 fragmented sentences, 10 spelling errors, 3 sentences writetn in past perfect when they should've been in present perfect, three future present and should've been future nuetral. And finally, an over emphasis in pronouns. In the future SWINGINGK, please write English. Thank you- Paul
Paul,
The English language is butchered on a daily basis at RB. The billet of "language police" is currently open (due to the recent departure of shareholder) so feel free to assume all responsibilities.
elrjw;ljkead
Sorry for the previous post containing jibberish, it was meant to be just a test.
Paul, regarding your post, yes it is sad how no one seems to speak or write "The King's English" anymore. However, if you're going to be so bold as to call someone down for errors, perhaps you should take a look at your own writing first. It's a case of the pot calling the kettle black here, I'm afraid. For I've noticed five misspellings in your own post.
policts=politics
Bye = By (It's By the way, not Bye the way)...by the way
awile=awhile
writetn = written
nuetral = neutral
Oh, by the way...4+3+10+3=20, not 18.
But hey, what do I know, I'm just a simple scientist, not a sophisticated English Teacher. Sorry to be harsh, if this was, it's only fair.
A word of thanks though, to those that find and post news stories and credible information regarding this drawn out process. Your work is much appreciated.
-A short-time lurker
thats not so good pauli . roflmao
this ; the whole process of adjudicating the blocks will be analyzed, as well as all the earlier phases that quietly went before it,
dont sound that good . awards year. 2020/2030
this contry just love to be poor.
In the above article, Vitrina points out that while the presidnt's communique, read by his spokesman, Angelo Bonfim, denies de Menezes is an ERHC shareholder, it makes no reference to the other MLSTP accusation: that the head of state is using the process to line his pockets.
The communique also gives the first public explanation for the president´s having sacked his oil adivser, Patrice Trovoada, the leader of the second govt coalition partner, ADI.
Trovoada was fired Saturday, because of his "manifest and notorious" abuse of his official post to further his "private (business) activities" - especially during the earlier bidding phase, Vitrina quotes the communique as saying.
The communique calls for "calm" among ST's population, saying "the whole process of ajudication will be analyzed," as well as "all the following phases," with "serenity".
This must be done to assure that the wealth of the country will be defended and be equally distributed among the people.
x-x-x-x
Note: Joe, your use of "communist" to describe the MLSTP is rather gratuitous and unhelpful. It was the Marxist-leaning nationalist party that led the islands to independence in 1975. But it long since dropped its ideological bent and trappings, opening the country to multiparty politics in the early 90s.
The fractured political scene today is much more about personalities and factional interests than about ideological options.
Homeport, thank you for your considerate, knowledgeable and insightful comments. The other day you said you had questions about the stock and you also said you'd rather not post at RB (many shareholders don't, cesspools aren't very healthy! I personally just lurk on boards) There is a much better alternative, it's called Ihub (investorshub.com) and the ERHE board there is REALLY good and ran by decent people. I'm sure they wouldn't mind answering your questions, and they would probably welcome your contributions too. Here is the direct URL: www.investorshub.com/boards/board.asp?board_id=1909
Thank you for your posts, I love them!
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