DIRECTOR of the Department of Energy, Dr. Mark Bynoe, said the draft roadmap that will guide Guyana’s management framework for the Hydrocarbon Sector is expected to be completed this month.

“This framework outlines the pillars for the evolution of the department and government institutions while simultaneously allowing for focused donor support. We hope to finalise this document by the ending of November 2018,” Dr. Bynoe told a news conference on Thursday.

Currently, the Department of Energy is in the process of designing a new Petroleum Sharing Agreement (PSA) and revising the legislative and regulatory frameworks governing the Petroleum Sector.

Alluding to the vision of President David Granger, the director said it is intended that the Department of Energy will be ultimately morphed into a ministry responsible for all forms of energy within the country.

Giving an overview of the Department of Energy and its sister agencies, Dr. Bynoe explained that a Petroleum Directorate within the Ministry of Natural Resources has been absorbed. The officers from the Ministry of Natural Resources are now working alongside the other staff of the Department of Energy including the energy adviser, two accountants, the procurement specialist, an office manager and a confidential secretary.
The Petroleum Unit within the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) remains intact and is working closely with the Department of Energy.

“The structure of the department will evolve in a fit for purpose manner with a heavy focus on taking an approach to resource management in collaboration with agencies like the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Audit Office of Guyana and the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA),” he said.

He added that the vision for the department is to ultimately become a ministry with semi-autonomous regulators such as the Petroleum Commission. At this stage, the director said his department is cognisant of the need to build strong institutions designed for success.
It was noted that the Department of Energy has taken a pragmatic approach in responding to immediate issues while concurrently addressing it’s medium and longer term strategies. “This approach emphasises the need to recruit short term external consultants with local capacity embedded with these external consultants aimed at building local expertise to take on a greater management role within the sector.”

“Going forward, in accordance with its mandate, the department continues to seek ways to streamline operations occurring within the sector, and which are essential for private sector participation and confidence building,” Dr. Bynoe explained.

In streaming the operation of the department, focus will be placed on five broad principles, that of: efficiency, transparency, predictability, balance and evidence based decision making.

Dr. Bynoe said too, that since the formation of the department, it has worked to foster strong collaboration among its sister agencies, as such the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA), the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC), the Civil Defence Commission (CDC) and members of Parliament among other entities and officials.

The Department of Energy has also enhanced donor coordination. “The DoE is now coordinating all petroleum sector donor activity, both of a multilateral and bilateral nature to ensure focus, cost effective, and efficient support without duplication,” Dr. Bynoe said while noting that financial and technical support for both the Department of Energy and its sister institutions are being actively pursued.

In consultation with the EPA, the department has taken a decision to recruit a consultant to conduct a needs assessment of the EPA and its preparedness for regulating the sector from an environmental perspective. “Once this needs assessment is completed, we will be better able to provide the necessary support to build the capacity of the EPA,” Dr. Bynoe posited.