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Govt. strengthening legislative, regulatory systems to address oil spills – VP Jagdeo to Int’l Lawyer Melinda Janki
Kaieteur News – Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo has assured that the government is sparing no effort to ensure Guyana’s legislative and regulatory systems are strengthened to address oil spills and related issues.
Vice President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo
His comment was in direct response to International Lawyer, Melinda Janki who urged Guyanese on Wednesday to ponder how the government would handle a massive blowout similar to that of the tragic BP Macondo well blowout. In her letter to the media, Janki recalled that the Macondo well blowout is what had caused the Deepwater Horizon Rig to explode, leading to the death of 11 persons, and the extermination of millions of animals (including birds, dolphins, whales, fish, crustaceans, sea turtles). The disaster also destroyed the livelihoods of thousands of people.
She highlighted in her missive also that BP, a technologically savvy oil company, took 87 days to cap the well. She further noted that the response effort included the United States Coast Guard, Louisiana National Guard Troops, the US Environmental Protection Agency, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, other federal agencies, private contractors and volunteers. Nevertheless, Janki said over 3 million barrels of oil polluted over 40,000 square miles of ocean and 1,000 miles of coastland. Importantly, Janki highlighted that the Macondo well blowout has cost BP and its partners more than US$70B.
In light of the foregoing, she questioned: What would the Guyana government do if, God forbid, there was a blowout?
International Lawyer, Melinda Janki
Jagdeo said the question for him is a rhetorical one, since the only way to remove such a risk completely would be to stop oil production. He was keen to note that this very risk has not prevented Norway, Saudi Arabia and the USA from becoming super-wealthy from oil resources. He said government has no intention of being overcome by fear, adding that production will continue. The PPP General Secretary also said that the administration is taking steps to strengthen several pieces of legislation as well as the relevant licences and permits to ensure the country is well protected.
He was keen to note that one of the most progressive steps made thus far is the requirement of a capping stack. This instrument he said can be deployed to shut off a well blowout. He noted that ExxonMobil and its partners are now required to have one in country while maintaining a subscription for another overseas.
Jagdeo said, “We are also doing more training at the Environmental Protection Agency and we are inviting specialists from India to assist us.” With these and other efforts in the pipeline, the Vice President assured that the country’s capabilities are in the process of being transformed to effectively manage the oil industry.
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