Opinion
The Natural Resource Fund Act is not in operation
Every Man, Woman and Child Must Become Oil-Minded (Part 95) This Article was Published on the 30 July, 2021 Introduction Thirty months after its passage and assent by President Granger in January 2019, the only thing active about the Natural Resource Fund Act is that it continues to generate controversy. The Act was passed during…
Natural Resource Fund: the right rhetoric but no credible commitment to transparency
Several observers have noted that the account in the Federal Reserve Bank of New York does not constitute the National Resource Fund (NRF). The account in the Federal Reserve is merely holding the oil revenues – at almost zero percent yield – until the Guyana government operationalises the NRF (hereafter “the Fund”). Operationalisation of the…
Dr. Thomas’s ‘average effective tax rate’ is misleading
I would like to make some comments on the article by Dr. Thomas, “Guyana’s Oil and Gas Sector: More on the abuses of misinformation, deceptions, and fake news.” (SN July 11, 2021). Some clarifications are needed as Dr. Thomas seemed to have missed some important points. Firstly, the Guyana’s taxation system is not based on “average effective…
Haze surrounds cost to taxpayers from gas project
There are unanswered questions that relate to future taxpayers’ burdens arising from possible new government debt interest costs and Guyana’s payment of profit taxes on behalf of the contractors from its Production Sharing Agreement. Will the Gas to Energy be similarly treated? There are three major stakeholders in the Gas to Energy project: Contractor, Government…
The Gas to Energy Project: More questions than answers?
Alfred Bhulai, Dr Janette Bulkan, Jocelyn Dow, D Radzik, Vanda Radzik, Dr Troy Thomas, Dr Maya Trotz The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published a Public Notice on June 25, 2021 stating that an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) was required for the “Gas to Energy Project” led by Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL). EEPGL…
Removing critical objectives has reduced this programme to gimmickry
Nothing is wrong with giving out money to poor people under the banner of “Because We Care (BWC).” And it is simply wrong for that PNC Member of Parliament – a big wig in the Teachers Union – to discourage teachers from assisting with the distribution of the money. Criticizing the giving out of money…
Floating vessels would give Guyana flexibility to develop its economy
The oil company/contractor and Government have determined that the gas has commercial value and will be cooled to minus 261 Fahrenheit degrees on land instead of using a floating ship. The process is unclear; the oil company has a development plan to develop gas, recover the expenditures in the 75% cost recoveries, and sell the…
This forum revealed widespread mistrust on gas-to-shore project
Tempers flared and the temperature was rising as the EPA, Ministry of Natural Resources and the Gas-to-Shore project were under fire as participants asked a multiplicity of questions and called for transparency in the proposed project, at the second online forum on Thursday. Towards the end, Mr. Gossai, an employee of the Ministry of Natural…
Gas to shore project – too many questions yet to be answered
Every Man, Woman and Child in Guyana Must Become Oil-Minded – Part 94 Article was Published on July 16, 2021 Introduction Over the past few weeks ExxonMobil has been holding public consultations on an application to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for an Environmental Authorisation for what it describes as a Gas to Energy Project…