Rush to first oil had ‘little’ to do with 2020 elections, more about Venezuela’s claims -Trotman

Jan 14, 2019 News

…Says no unilateral decisions were made for oil sector

The motivation that propelled the Natural Resources Ministry to rush to first oil had “little” to do with the 2020 –scheduled elections and more to do with Venezuela’s claims of Guyana’s marine space.

Former Petroleum Advisor to Govt.,
Dr. Jan Mangal

Natural Resources Minister,
Raphael Trotman

This comment was made by Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman in a missive to the media yesterday. He was responding to a Kaieteur News article, which quoted former Government Advisor on Oil, Dr. Jan Mangal, on the Ministry’s role in Guyana’s current unpreparedness for the oil sector.
The Oil and Gas Consultant posited that Guyana forfeited the opportunity to use the lever of time to its advantage by being in a rush to first oil before elections, which was originally scheduled for 2020.
What also made matters worse in Dr. Mangal’s view is the fact that the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR), which initially had full responsibility for preparing Guyana for the oil sector, seemed intent on making decisions, which only favoured the oil companies.
But Trotman disagrees with this. He contended that the Ministry of Natural Resources relied on the guidance and advice of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) and a range of local and foreign advisors in its decision-making processes.
At all material times, Trotman said that the Quintet of Ministers, and the Cabinet, discussed and approved every decision made. He said that no one Minister, or Ministry, had the authority, attempted to, or was able to make any unilateral decision.
The Minister said, too, that hundreds of meetings were held and proposals received, coming from every part of the globe. He said, “It was our duty as Ministers to work with the Technical Officers to sift these and make presentations to Cabinet from time to time.”
Trotman said that his Ministry does not claim perfection and willingly accepts that some things could have been done differently.
He noted however, that in the end, “a few persons, with little or no prior knowledge, did everything humanly possible to quickly grasp the rudiments, and prepare for a petroleum sector, whilst giving effect to the instruction that production should commence within the shortest reasonable time…”
Further to this, the Minister said , “The motivation propelling us towards early first oil had little to do with elections in 2020, and more to do with the fact that on May 26, 2015, literally, as the President was being inaugurated, and we were celebrating our independence anniversary, decrees were being issued elsewhere proclaiming that the Liza well was not in Guyana’s territorial waters and was not our property.”
The Minister added, “When someone, standing with a piece of wood in hand, shouts out that the mangoes growing in your back yard are not yours, you don’t stand around waiting to see what happens next, or for a lash, you start preparing to pick those mangoes as quickly as possible. This was our primary duty and responsibility.”

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