Int’l experts needed for Department of Energy

The Government of Guyana will be searching worldwide for the best experts and professionals to staff the Department of Energy in the Ministry of the Presidency (MotP).

Given that the country is new to the oil and gas sector, President David Granger Wednesday admitted that the pool of local experts in the field is limited and so staffing to the new department will be a challenge.

“It is bound to be a challenge because this is an international industry. We are aiming at a world-class industry so we have to get the best persons. We obviously have to attract the best people from around ht world. We are not attempting to avoid that responsibility,” the Guyanese Head-of-State told reporters at an event hosted at State House this morning.

A few months ago, Guyana’s Minister of Natural Resources Raphael Trotman announced that it a Department of Energy will be established and will have oversight for all matters relating to the development of the country’s emerging petroleum sector.

This would mean that the Ministry of Natural Resources would no longer have responsibility for the sector and that the Minister of State Joseph Harmon would now be the country’s point-person in this field.

Minister Trotman is said to be heading a task-force to work out the logistics in setting up the Department of Energy. The task force comprises the Minister of Finance Winston Jordan, Minister of Public Infrastructure David Patterson, and Minister of Public Telecommunications Cathy Hughes as well as the Minister of State.

President Granger said he hopes to provide another update on the establishment of the new unit next month.