Granger should not be involved in routine management of oil sector … should heed medical advice to take it easy

Granger should not be involved in routine management of oil sector … should heed medical advice to take it easy – Jagdeo

May 31, 2019 News

Former President Bharrat Jagdeo is of the opinion that President David Granger should heed the advice of his medical team and ease his workload, especially as it relates to the management of Guyana’s oil and gas sector.

Former President Bharrat Jagdeo [left] and President David Granger

Effectively, the President is in charge of the sector. There is much to do to prepare a framework to ensure Guyana benefits as much as possible from production.
But the President got back from Cuba last month, where he received treatment for Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma. And his doctors advised that he keep his workload light.
During a press conference yesterday, at the Office of the Leader of the Opposition, Jagdeo said, “I do believe that the President should not be so directly involved in routine matters of management of the industry.”
He said that what the president should do is lay out his policy for the sector.
“He should say ‘Here is what the incentive regime should be for the industry if you sign a contract with us. This is what we want on local content. These are the opportunities for Guyanese. If you come into Guyana, this would be the framework within which you operate’,” Jagdeo said.
This way, a capable team could meet with members of the international community who are interested in working with Guyana, and “reflect what the president is saying,” according to Jagdeo.
He has indicated his preference that the implementation of the president’s policy should be done by an independent, technical commission.
“But the problem is that this government is so lost in the sector that they don’t even have clear positions on any issue. So I’m not even sure if the investors meet with the president, that he can give them the clarity that they crave in making their investment decisions because there is such a big vacuum.”
Jagdeo said that, at this point, Guyana is years into the sector because oil was struck in 2015. He opines that Guyana should already have settled a range of policies for the sector.
Though he thinks the President should take it easy, he also said that the illness of the President should not be blamed for the “sloth” of the industry’s development.
“I don’t think the president moved at a faster pace when he wasn’t ill. So I don’t think it has anything to do with that. I think it’s just a lack of clarity on the matter is what is bothering the government.”
“We hear from [Dr. Mark] Bynoe (Head of Energy Department) that they have hired a consultant to work on something,” Jagdeo said.
He said that it is worrisome to the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) that, if the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) rules on the No Confidence Cases in the government’s favour, and it is allowed to complete its term, “all of the opportunities for Guyanese will be gone because our government did not stand up”.