So what is the US asking us?

THE EDITOR: Concerted third-party efforts are being made to escalate Russia’s invasion of Ukraine into global conflict.

Antagonists are going so far as to ask those they cripple with sanctions to help them corner the market – even as their focus on a new foe forges an energy fallout for allied puppets.

Different global spheres are being approached with carrots or sticks commensurate with their price, in return for this or that military, political, economic, legal or energy guarantee.

Since even Venezuela and Iran are being approached (shamelessly but as a matter of “interest”), TT won’t be bypassed. Yet our negotiators keep it secret. At best we get desensitising teases about our “quest to stay in” the world energy business. A step up from the perennial “we need to diversify.”

Trouble is, the energy is under our ground; therefore, whether state or private owned we will always have to deal with the consequences of people’s interest in it. In other words, we can’t avoid being in the energy business. Not to mention patrimony. Or our own need for oil and gas.

It will be a shame to remove subsidies then privatise so other countries can avoid price hikes while private owners decide how much we pay here. So please let’s have an open discussion. What guarantees are they seeking? At what price? With oil projected to cross US$180 a barrel, maybe even ordinary people could see the advantage and better advise. Let’s talk in the open.

DAVID MAYNARD

via e-mail