Latest update February 9th, 2025 1:59 PM
Latest News
- Gunmen rob money changer at America Street
- Couple dies in fire at Hydronie, EBE
- “Oil-rich Guyana is worse off from the very start”- Glenn Lall
- Terrence Campbell to remain member of oil money Investment Committee despite transparency concerns in use of revenues
- Trump freezes aid to South Africa amid spat over land expropriation law
Govt. should have fixed auditing, insurance, environmental issues before Yellowtail approval – Norton
By Zena Henry
Kaieteur News – If the Guyana government was genuinely concerned about the development and success of the country through its lucrative oil sector, then it would have ensured that all issues related to the project are addressed before granting approval for the fourth oil well development. At least this is according to Chairman for the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), Aubrey Norton.
APNU Chairman, Aubrey Norton
The Chairman, who also leads the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR), was at the time commenting on the recent approval of the Yellowtail development project in the offshore Stabroek Block. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced this past Friday that the US$10B project permit was granted for a period of five years to ExxonMobil’s subsidiary and operator of the Stabroek Block, Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL), to undertake the requisite construction and operation of production facilities. The project was initially pegged at approximately US$9B but has now increased by US$1B.
Norton has accused the government of being uncaring and placing the country on a path to self-destruction having granted the Yellowtail permit without addressing existing matters involving, among others, project cost auditing capabilities, human capacity development and environmental assurance that would see ExxonMobil committing to step in if its subsidiary is unable to fulfill its obligations in the event of an oil spill.
“I have pointed out that they (government) are not improving the capacity of the EPA, which means that government itself is creating the conditions for environmental disaster in Guyana,” said Norton. He insisted that ExxonMobil and its partners will pursue its interest, but it is for the government and people of Guyana to pursue their own.
He opined that, “If the basic step of giving the EPA the human and other resources it needs to be able to do their work isn’t taken, then what in essence the government is saying is ‘look we don’t care…’.”
Norton, moreover, is convinced that the government is not interested in the development of Guyana. “If they were interested in the development of this country and its people, their actions would have been different. They would have improved the capacity of the Natural Resource Ministry first of all and whatever agencies tasked with the management and oversight of our natural resources and secondly, they would have improved the capacity of the environmental institution (EPA) to do the work that is needed.”
Norton further accused the PPP/C government of being one that does not focus on human resources development and meritocracy as a form of worker upliftment. He said that instead, the government seeks to put in key positions persons who they believe to be loyal to them and in doing so, mediocrity is what is left along with the inability of state agencies to properly function in the interest of development.
The APNU Chairman reiterated his belief that the government is uncaring, stating, “Now, because of that they are constrained, they cannot take the actions that are needed to ensure Guyana succeeds. And so the PPP is firmly placing Guyana on a road to self-destruction.”
The matters identified by Norton are topical issues. That is because Guyana could lose billions of United States dollars if it does not have the capacity to audit Exxon’s project development costs.
Environmentalist and other stakeholders have highlighted numerous areas where they say Guyana is lagging in ensuring the protection of the environment. And when it comes to insurance, Guyana is still trying to get ExxonMobil to commit to covering what its subsidiary is unable to in the event of a spill. The public is unaware as to the insurance amounts available for the Liza and Payara wells since they have not been made public.
Similar Articles
THE BLUNT OF THE DAY
Sports
Features/Columnists
You cannot borrow your way to prosperity
Peeping Tom… Kaieteur News-The Jagdeo Doctrine is an absurd, reckless, and fundamentally shortsighted economic fallacy.... more
OAS Secretary General Election and renewed OAS Consensus
Antiguan Barbudan Ambassador to the United States, Sir Ronald Sanders By Sir Ronald Sanders Kaieteur News- The upcoming election... more
Weekend Cartoon
