…Hughes, Fields & Stoby establishes presence in Houston, Texas

GUYANA must improve its systems of governance and transparency, inclusive of public procurement to reduce potential downstream leakages associated with petroleum revenues.

This is according to Dr David Mark Bynoe, Head of the Department of Energy of the Ministry of the Presidency.

He made the remark during an address at the Georgetown Marriott Hotel on Friday night, when the local law firm Hughes, Fields and Stoby announced its partnership with the U.S.-based firm Access Point, to become the first local, legal and business protocol firm to establish a Houston, Texas presence.

The move was made in recognition of the emerging importance between the American energy capital and Guyana, as an emerging energy powerhouse.

Speaking to an audience which included several ministers of government, including Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson and Minister of Business Dominic Gaskin, Bynoe said that the department continues to seek to engage those who may have a mandated responsibility and comprehensive advantage as the oil and gas sector evolves.

He said a mixture of public and private engagement would appear more feasible, noting that the department must also engage members of the public, schools, technical institutes, universities and the private sector to ensure that they are prepared not just for oil and gas, but for the first-oil and the resources emanating thereafter.

“The best we can do for our people is to build their capacities, to be able to participate in the move that is projected to come from oil revenue,” he told the gathering.

Dr Bynoe said the department is keen to ensure that the systems of transparency and governance will ensure that all receive equal opportunities. He said the department wants to ensure that all Guyanese benefit from oil and gas revenues and as such, it aims to commit systems and work with other stakeholders to ensure that it is a first.

He said the body continues to seek partnerships “to seek maximum returns” which would derive from the sector to the benefit of all Guyanese. He cautioned that while Guyana remains open for business, there should be “balanced relationships” as the sector evolves.
Dr Bynoe noted that oil revenue is a catalyst for longer, transitional and sustainable development. He said there must be evolving capacity to ensure that in years to come, Guyanese can do it themselves where the sector is concerned.

Attorney-at-law Nigel Hughes speaking on the partnership of the law firm with Access Point, noted that in preparation for the “new beginning”, the firm determined 18 months ago that it is critical and significant that it improves its human capital resources to international standards to prepare for the demands of an unrelenting international business environment.

He said the law offices will be on hand in Houston to guide potential clients through what will be a complex process of establishing business relationships in Guyana.

He said that from legal representation right through to assistance with appropriate business protocols and linkages, to a network of officials in the public and private sector, a client’s every need is attended to. Hughes said that new linkage provides a new image for Guyana.
U.S. partner, Greg Clark, who worked with ExxonMobil as well as Occidental Petroleum Company, a large oil and gas company as that organisation’s general counsel in the past, will lead the Hughes, Fields and Stoby team in Houston.

Clark expressed hope that his presence will expedite a more timely service on behalf of the law firm. Clark said that what is unique about Guyana as compared to the other countries where he worked, is that the laws were already in place.