Contents Executive summary Chapter-1: Introductory Issues
Permitting multinational energy company for harnessing energy
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seminar paper ( খাসিয়া )
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- 4.5 Chevron’s development initiatives. 4.5 (A) Establishment of a visionary partnership
| 4.4 Permitting multinational energy company for harnessing energy: In 1998, the reserve of natural gas was discovered around the area. Then, for the first time, Petrobangla, the state owned gas and oil company, permitted Occidental, a multinational oil company, for initial experimentation. Then, in 1999, Occidental consigned the rights to Unocal. However, in 2004, Unocal signed an agreement with Petrobangla for extracting gas. Meanwhile, in 2007, Unocal further consigned the rights to Chevron which extracted gas within the range till 2012. Then, Chevron founds that the reserves of natural gas is much larger than thought. Thus, in 2012, they announced further expansion project from which they inaugurated gas extraction in 2014. However, these multinational corporations began to perform their function in their own ways. Meanwhile, Chevron appears as a patron to the villagers through providing work opportunities to the people in its initial construction phase. As Gardner asserts that the villages around the gas field are connected to the global economy through sending its manpower as ship workers to Calcutta and by the long term settlement in UK, but the discovery of natural gas in this area connected it with the global economy in a very different way (Gardner 1995, 2008,
2012). With permitting Chevron and other multinational companies in the area, local matters and affairs go to the hand of these corporations. As an energy extraction company Chevron didn’t confine its activities within only making profit rather they announce that they will work for the development of the area through initiating several programs like, community engagement and so on. Beside this, several Non-governmental organizations also started their journey for developing the life of the people. 4.5 Chevron’s development initiatives. 4.5 (A) Establishment of a visionary partnership: Chevron has launched its functions in the area not only for extracting natural gas, but they have a vision. Simply, their vision can be articulated as, “….to be the global energy company most admired for its people, partnership and performance” As an energy harnessing corporation, is it mandatory to have a vision of Chevron besides making profit? By the way, Chevron announces their vision in the area. With a view to achieving the vision, Chevron has created a form of partnership with the community people. The slogan of partnership is something like that “We have an unwavering commitment to being a good partner focused in building productive, collaborative, trusting and beneficial relationships with governments, other companies, our customers, our communities and each other” However, local people didn’t receive Chevron cordially. There was a agnostic attitudes towards Chevron and many protests have taken place over the time against Chevron. By manipulating local elites and iterating promise to the people, Chevron became capable of turning the relationship from agnostic to a supportive form of relationship. Being influenced by such kind of narratives, the people of the surrounding villages imagined for a kind of partnership. Chevron is a US based giant energy harnessing corporation started their journey in Bibiyana gas field in 2007. When, it confronted with local protests and angriness, it takes a form of elusive strategy. People asserted in their protests that chevron is a thief, they are exploiting local resources without paying back something. With the manipulation of local elites, the company became able to calm the condition. Then, they heed on their task. They knew it very well that until the people are being hegemonized, people never take any submissive decision. Thus, they proliferated the notion that the people of the villages surrounded the gas field are live under the acute poverty line. A chevron official asserted that “ there was nothing there” (Gardner etal 2012). Through these strategies, the life of the local people becomes as a subject of matter of Chevron. It is chevron which started to define the standard of living. It is noteworthy that the lens through which chevron looked toward the people, was western based. As a result, the own way of living of the people appeared as a problem to the company. The scenario was such as if chevron was blessings for the region. It has assumed by the people that after all they have got a benevolent who will work on behalf of them. But the reality becomes perceptible when the people understood that these slogans and promises was only for calming the situation. There was a number of consultants were hired and several studies were directed to identify the problems of the area. On the basis of the findings and suggestions, chevron designed their plan. With the passage of time, chevron tries to be detached from the community. They planned for distributing the portion of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and designed their scheme of community engagement. By dint of these mechanisms, chevron gradually became capable of rising a sense of detachment among the local people. Their additional steps include directing projects and programs through funding NGO’s, like, Friends In Village Development Bangladesh (FIVDB). Further steps that were directed towards the people for developing the people will be presented throughout the next sections of the chapter. Download 1.22 Mb. Share with your friends:
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